Happy New Year

Well, here I am again, finding myself thinking about what's new and in store for myself and family.  No crystal ball can tell us, but I do know there are a few things that I can do, and that's to continue on my path of creativity, loving and just being a good ol' gal, most times, anyway.

This past year has been both lovely and not so much.  My mother's health took a nose-dive and has been in a nursing home since June.  She's very happy and content and has developed this beautiful, peaceful form of acceptance and understanding.  I told her once I wish she had been more like that in her younger days, because her life would have been simpler and happier, plus, ours would have been too! LOL  My mother is or was a worry-wart, very intense and at times, rigid.  Unlike her own mother, she was very much the control freak.  Then I come along, the one more like her grandmother, than mother.  My mother always said I reminded her of her mom...called me a happy soul with not a care in the world.  Well, I do have many "cares in the world, " but I find I am happy most days.  However, what I did find, after a difficult time with some individuals, was that life IS too short, as some of you who have experienced a very great loss in your life, and that one can't be bogged down with negativity, especially from other sources.  I just found out a friend of mine, a dear friend's husband is once again, fighting throat cancer.  This is his second round with that nasty stuff and his treatment is especially intense and downright, horrid, but his prognosis is good and that's what all that suffering is about.  Another friend, was just diagnosed with breast cancer and she won't know about her round of treatment till next month, hopefully, at the end of this week. I call these incidents, Life's Wake-up Calls.

I don't know how long I've got on this Blue Marble we call Earth, but I do know I want to live it to my fullest and as long as I can till it's time to rest.  Actually, I don't like the idea of "resting" after death, we have plenty of time to rest in our lives...around here, you'll hear many say, "Al fin esta descansando," after one dies...meaning, "At last they are finally resting."  Hell no, it's time to really begin having the time of your life/after-life.  I've always pictured my dad and his friends in that Big Bar in Heaven, having a few, joking, telling stories and what not.  My sweet cousin, Paul, just passed in Oct. and what a wonderful guy he was!  He was able to survive a cancerous brain tumor, one that killed most, but he survived it, graduated from college, married, had children and lived long enough to see his first grandson.  I think Paul survived as long as he did due to his attitude about life.  Talking about a "wake-up call," but at 21??  He was attending University of Texas at Austin in the early 70's when this occurred, so can imagine, the treatments were harsher than now.  Consequently, it was the massive amount of radiation that eventually took his life at 64.  It took all those years for that chain reaction to slowly end his wonderful life.

Ok, on a happier note, I'll be starting another marathon body of work, hopefully, at the end of this week.  I've been a bit grouchy and I figured out why.  No, it's not all the goodies and sweets lying around here, since I'm really not a sweet-eater, or all the fattening foods that have invaded my body, ok, maybe a little of that, but I realized I hadn't been doing any studio work since the week before Christmas or maybe longer.  I did make a couple things for gifts, for my sister, daughter, niece and friends.  Have you ever noticed it's a lot more fun to make things you're making for those you care about, well, I guess I'm that way, but quality of my work is still important to the unknown person who buys my work too.  Here is what I did for those I love:

For my daughter, a small ornie commemorating the day
my grandson, Sammy, decided Lennon, the cat,  needed shades
for those bright Texas days. 

For one of bestie, Judy, who asked me
to make something to hang on her front door.

For my niece, an ornie of her little wiener dog, Whinie

I know there's more, but for the life of me, I can't find those darn pictures.  I'll post next time, or when blogger will give me the "honour" to do so...oey!! Here's hoping you all have a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve and New Years.  I'll be making my traditional Menudo and have my usual open-house for those friends and family that love and can "stomach" menudo (for those of you who aren't picking up the pun, Google menudo)  LOL.  I hope you all much love, happiness, compassion and good health, well, lots more but I really need to get ready to visit mom at the nursing home, so I'm cutting it short.  HAPPY NEW YEAR AND AS ALWAYS, PEACE OUT.

Happy Thanksgiving & an Observation

Well, hope you all  are looking forward to what I call here, "Hajolote Day!"  I'm not sure if I spelled it right, but hajolote is "turkey" in some Mexican-Indian dialect.  I grew up calling it that or "pavo."  I prefer, "hajolote" it's a mouthful!!  LOL  This year is one of many changes for my family.  For the first time since 1979, I won't be making oodles of sides, pies, breads, etc., and all that goes with a family type Thanksgiving meal.  It will just be my sister and me and perhaps a couple of other friends who may or may not come over.  I told my sis to bring her jammies in case it gets late or she has a bit too much wine, vodka, or any other spirits, in excess.  Also, that turkey can make one a bit sleepy.  No football games going on here tomorrow...will be watching some rented flix and what ever they might have on the boob-tube.

Ok, here's the observation portion of this post.  Well, it's more of a commentary/rant/observation.  The other night, my honey and I were watching television and a Viagra commercial came on.  We actually left the sound on instead of mute.  The scene begins with a cowboy dude driving his pick-up, pulling a horse trailer in a mountainous, desert landscape (looks like out here in west TX), after a huge rain.  We weren't really paying much attention to what was being said, but then the next scene, shows same man, truck, horse trailer now with the 2 horses pulling the truck and trailer as the viral cowboy maneuvers it from inside.  I then turned to my husband and asked him what was the purpose of that or rather, what's the connection between that and the effectiveness of Viagra.  He then turned, looked at me and kiddingly said, "It allows him to think better."  So let's get this straight, He's riding along on an old desert highway, it's rained and now he decides to go "off-roading" in the mud!!??  Wha?????  In other words, Viagra obviously allows men to "think straight," gives them "clarity" and hones in on some "critical thinking" skill???  Wow, and I thought it was just for sex. Commercials...for sure I will hit that mute button from now on!!

I wanted to show you a little bit of artwork I did for an old friend.  She's having a bridal shower for her niece and the theme is "Dia de los Muertos."  She asked me to paint a tableau to be used for the future brides chair at the shower.  I was going to drill a couple of holes for her to insert the ribbon that will be used to tie it in place, but my drill and drill bits have gone, "tits up," so I suggested she ask her sister to use the staple gun.  Anyway, I told her that I had been reading the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," previously to her request and I got the idea from one of the characters of that poem, Life-in-Death, a ghostly woman. When she requested it be painted horizontally, I had to really think how I was going to do that, then my sweet man suggested I display her lying on a couch.  So here she is, in all her ghostly splendor, lying on a settee with a "come-hither" look!!

What was even better, she and I met at Starbucks for the painting-exchange, (neither of us know how to speak, "Starbucks,") and we sat there for over 3 hours just chatting away.  This little painting was two-fold, not only was it so much fun to paint, but it brought together two very old friends again for a long-overdue visit.

I wanted to bring attention to a very funny, ulta-talented artist friend of mine.  I've been so much out-of-the-loop since I misplaced my blog, only to find it again.  But she has temporarily re-opened her Etsy shop.  Please go on over and check out Yve's offerings; she designs and produces these amazing hats and dolls.  So go on over to her blog and check out her wonderful work and buy!! http://freakylittledolls.blogspot.com/

Well, my friends, I still have a few errands to do before I run on to the nursing home to visit mom.  Yesterday, one of the CNA trainees stepped on her hearing aid and of course, the audiologist's office will be closed till next week, so it looks like we're going to be engaging in lots of loud conversation with mom for a few weeks...OEY!!  LOL  Have a great weekend, my friends and for those on this side of the pond, Happy Thanksgiving and remember, no calorie counting allowed!!  Peace out.

Some New Stuff

Good Morning, Friends,  I have a few minutes to dedicate to computer time, so I'm going to utilize it to update some stuff on my blog.  This has been a heck of a few weeks.  I did a second art show, the first being in Oct., was almost 20 years since I had participated in one.  The one I did this past weekend was somewhat of a bust.  No, it wasn't the venue, the venue was most excellent, but around here, the winds come up from no where and cause a real problem for out-door activities, ie., art shows.

A few of us locals were talking about it, and we remember when we were kids, this area got the strong "winds" in the Spring, you know the saying, "In like a lion, out like a lamb," well, that doesn't hold true anymore.  Call it global warming or the natural flow of climate change, kinda like an Ice Age!  Now the wind blows whenever!!  If  Northern  NM or CO is getting rain, we get wind and blowing real estate from not only my home state, Texas, but from New Mexico and Mexico, the country (I live on the border).  When there's a cold front pushing through, we get the warm winds, before the cold air hits the following day.  This weekend, Canada is sending us our first winter weather, thanks Canada, I was getting tired of the mid to upper 70's temperatures, about 24 degrees for you Celsius folks.

Anyway, winds (the climatic kinds for you British types) and art fairs don't mix.  We tried to keep our canopy up, but the wind was catching it and causing more problems, so down it went.  We tried to put up peg board barriers as to keep the wind down more from it catching all my work and tossing it around and to the ground.  Well, at about noonish, we decided to call it quits and leave.  I was told that later on that day, the winds calmed down and there was a surge of attendees...just my luck!  Sunday, turned out to be a nicer day, breezy, but in some circles, you'd call it windy, but that's breezy around these parts.  Unfortunately, since we had to take down our canopy and remove everything from our original spot, we found ourselves in the "back row," of the "square due to the fact, it's "first come, first serve" rule...my hubby, or the "princess" as I call him, takes an hour to get ready, hence making us a bit late to the venue.  Needless to say, we hardly got any traffic and for those who were "curious" and came back there, they were holding bags filled with purchases and were pretty much spent-out for the 3 of us vendors in the back.  The people next to me were selling homemade doggie/kitty treats and I thought they were getting lots of business.  If I hear another "doggie or kitty" story, someone's gonna get a butt-load of hurt!!!  LOL  Later, I found out, that they were giving out "free-samples," hence why people lingered and told their canine and kitty stories, ad nauseum.  Hey, I love my doggie and if I had a kitty, I'd love that little critter too, but it's kind of like talking to people about how wonderful and talented your kids/grandkids are to those that have their own set of wonderful and talented kids/grandkids!!  For all counts, it better make me laugh...kid and critter stories can be very funny because, they are very funny beasties at times.

Thankfully, Shawn and John, the proprietors of  "Jonhnny Lolita's, " the art show venue, asked to sell my work in their coffeehouse/store.  So after the show, I took what was left of my inventory, which was pretty much most of it.  I sold a Santa doll, 2 dog, a cat and one bird ornies on Saturday, and did a trade with this fabulous, crazy Canadian lady who now lives in La Union, NM, for a great and funky crochet hat for my granddaughter.  I told her we Texans don't really utilize that kind of "warm" clothing, but she had a great way of putting it, she calls her work "fashion accessories!!"  LOL  Loved it!!  Then Tensy, one of my all-time favorite arteests, who hails from Las Cruces, NM, came by and purchased a bird ornie.  So I took Shawn my box of Santas and ornies and told her to just take  the ones she wanted in her store.  She wanted the whole shebang; she assured me they'd all sell...from her lips to God's ears!!

My sister mentioned that after viewing the selected artists at the show, she told me my work was very unique, different and outrageously wonderful (comments I received from others who found my work unusual and different).  However, it doesn't appeal to the norm;  it seems people prefer "cutesy" and I'm not a cutesy kind of gal...never have.  So my fellow artist pals, please tell me what you think and would my work be worthy someplace else?

So today, I'll be spending it here at home, working on Christmas gifts for family and friends and there's won't be any pressure for any shows till Feb.  One thing that reminded me of why I love doing shows, is the new folks one meets, whackies with like minds!  I had such a great time meeting new people and spending time with them.  A few of us will be having workshops at Johnny Lolita's in the future... we even discussed having pot-lucks and just sitting around and exchanging ideas and information.  I'm looking forward to 2014 now that I have found my little niche of lovelies and fun-loving folks who get pretty close to that edge and for some, take that leap.  I'm grateful for my experiences and those I call friends, both old and new, near and far.  So I thank you, my blog buddies for your friendship...if only many of you lived closer...we'd have to start saving for our bail money, though!!  LOL  Peace out.

GREAT NEWS!!

I've found my dashboard.  Yes, I was lost, but now I'm found!!  LOL  I thought all was lost, but somehow, luck, not technology or my understanding of it, brought me back.  Don't know if I'll be here tomorrow or even later today, but just letting you all know, I'm here now.  Also, I'm unable to connect with the address here at yahoo.  Don't know how to figure that one out yet, but I know one thing, my connection is just fine.  According to them, I'm unable to read my email due to my Internet connection being disconnected, I guess.  How odd that I can connect everywhere else, including places I don't really choose, but my email is "no workee" and judging from all the gripes listed on the Yahoo trouble-shooting page, it's contagious!!  So for those who want to just contact me the regular way (no, not snail mail) here's my new address on yet another server.  Kind of bringing back memories for me back in the day when I first began my adventure on the Internet, so here's the other address you can reach me:  gcdiaz05@aol.com.

Just a shorty one, my friends, but I've been very busy the last few weeks.  If your on FB, you've seen all the great pics of my nieces wedding last month in Phoenix, AZ.  Was a great weekend and quite frankly, I can't remember the last time I had such a great time at a wedding, including both of mine!!  LOL  Also, I've been busy with preparing for a Holiday show this weekend in La Union, NM.  For those of you on FB, go to Johnny Lolita's and hit the "like" on their page...Shawn and John are just two fabulous people doing so much for El Paso, TX/Las Cruces, NM and all the communities in between.  Here's a little sample of what I'm selling this weekend:

I call it "Trashy Chic," because...well, you can see why.  Shawn asked some of her artists to paint a Christmas board, one that was already painted and prepped with the tree design.  Of course, when I saw the bright pink one, it screamed, "YESs, more IS more!!"  Thus, the result.  She is selling the Christmas boards at the shop and all proceeds will be going to her charity...name escapes me now, but it's going for a good cause.  My sis texted me this morning and told me she had to have it, so I'll have to let Shawn know to put a hold on it since it's already sold.

Well, I just remembered, I haven't downloaded my art pics of the rest of my stuff from my FB file, so that I shall leave for later.  Below is a pic taken at my nieces wedding of my children and me.  From l-r, Ian, my youngest, me, Andria, the middle child and only daughter and my oldest, Joel.  We finally were all together for a family shot.  Like I said, it was a great weekend and we had so much fun.  My daughter hadn't  been without any of her 5 children in probably 13 years, the age of the oldest, so she had one helluva time being a free-wheeling, single, well, single in the sense she was without hubby and kiddos, but she had a great time.  I'll post more pics of our weekend and my work later, so my darlings, I bid you farewell and peace out.

Farewell

Farewell, my dear Anne.  I will always cherish the time we spent on those marathon phone calls.  My only regret was never having to really spend any "physical" time with you....just too much damn geography between El Paso, TX and Peru, IN.  However, I know we'll meet someday and we can then have that party we always spoke of throwing with no worry of making bail.  You're more than welcome to come visit me anytime in my dreams or make a suggestion as I'm creating something sinister in my studio...you were always good at "sinister and dastardly" suggestions...wink, wink, nudge, nudge.  You always showed me the stupidity of some human behaviour and laughed the whole time you pointed it out.  Because of you, I know not to waste time and energy on negativity, hatred and anger...life's too short and damn, too short!!

Now put on those Doc Martens and go kick some Heavenly ass!  Adios, mi amiga. I will always love you.  Peace out.

Grumpy Day

Yes folks, I'm a "grumpy pants" today.  Don't know if it's the heat resurfacing again after having some gorgeous cooler days with rain and all.  So add the friggin' humidity with the heat and you have "Grumpy Pants Diaz!"  Or maybe it's just about time I have a grumpy day, since I haven't had one in quite a long time.  Seems everything is just pissing me off today.  I was just asked my Pandora if I was still listening...well, YEA!!  Have I signed off yet, NO, so why ask!!!!!!!???  I'm listening to my created station, "Laura Nyro" but so far, it's less Laura and more whoever!!  OY  Ok, the music isn't bad, but I want to hear Laura, dammit!!!

Then I left a long comment for the lovely, Yve, at her blog,  but those stupid "are you a robot" symbols were not accommodating.  I must have attempted 8 times to decipher those stupid symbols and wasn't able to sign in, knowing I had gotten them right...GRRRRR!!  Sorry Yve, but I gave up after #8.  My dear buddy, Linda over at her blog wrote about this weekend...what's the big deal with Labor Day when all the stores are open and having major, mega sales.  As she quotes her grandson, the great Ry, "it doesn't tickle my fanny!"  Yep, mine either.  If it's Labor Day, then why are so many people working today..what an oxymoron!  It's advertised as the last day of summer vacation.  Around here summer goes into Oct. and in some instances, Nov., so much for summer...we want it over and gone for those few months.

Yesterday, I spent the day in the studio, so why so grumpy?  Well, I was just as happy as can be till I finished what had to be done to my little skellie coco-heads and moved on to "damage control."  I had some of my work at a gallery in AZ.  I know they were having some economic problems (who hasn't) and they were having to downsize and requested those of us who where still displaying there, for more of a cut of our sales...I didn't have a problem with that, they're a non-profit and needed a boost.  I believe they still were floundering when a new director came in and did some house-cleaning, and she began whipping things into shape.  Long story short, she asked if I would give more of my sales or I could request my work returned, I opted for the latter.  Two boxes arrived with what was left of my work and when I opened them, the damage was infuriating.  It was obvious that much of my artwork was displayed somewhere in a window or someplace where natural lighting was abundant. I ended up having to throw away some of my fragile sculptures and ornaments due to large pieces missing while others were faded so badly, I couldn't do much with them.  What I found amazing was that the director asked me for more $$ from my sales on damaged work!??!!??  I pride myself on quality and folks, most of this stuff was a far cry.  Well, as a friend told me the other day, "George, you always seem to find a silver lining in every dark cloud."  So my silver lining here is a lesson learned, be more careful who you trust with your work.  So far, I've learned just a little too much!

I said in an earlier post, maybe a few months ago, that I was going to have a giveaway, well, I haven't forgotten.  I'm going to have this little contest in a couple of weeks and don't worry, it's not anything from my damaged box of goods!! LOL

I know some of you saw this over on my Facebook page, but for those of you who are not complete social media suckers, like me (ok, I don't Twitter and never will), here is the photo of my little coco-head mini-skellies.  Today, I'm planning on designing and cutting out their little costumes...I just hope I don't go bonkers from working with such tiny pieces of fabric!

Also, I wanted to show you a pic of my mom taken this past Thurs. when I took her back to her house so she could sit out in her beautiful garden and enjoy the cooler weather.  All is so green due to her good gardener and the lovely rain we had for a week, after I read those rain clouds the "riot act."  All they did was hover over for over a week, bringing hot winds and humidity, so I guess they took heed and the heavens opened up and brought glorious rain.  Let me tell you, there's nothing like a rain storm in the desert...around here we say the rain smells.  We can smell it even if it doesn't rain in our area, but the scent is from the creosote bush, a plant that thrives out here in the harsh high desert.  When it rains, it emits it's perfume infused scent...it's beautiful.  I remember the first time I moved to Dallas, TX, in my other life, I recall never smelling anything other than "wet," and the same when I lived in Germany and visited other European countries...more "wet."  Anyway, she enjoyed her day out and I packed her a lunch, one that she specifically asked me to prepare, frijoles de la olla, con crema fresca and guacamole...I also included a flour tortilla.

Well my friends, it's time for me to jump into my day and finish "damage control" in the studio and move on to my happier little coco-heads.  Peace out.

What's with Blogger and other silly things

I have to admit, I'm a terrible blogger.  I'm probably on many of your "blogger s-list."  The S-List was invented by my dad years ago after my sister's big-ass wedding.  My father kept his guest list, checked off  with who attended without 'neary a card, let alone a gift or those who brought "toda la familia" when "toda la familia" weren't invited and didn't bring a gift (their names were CAPPED big time), hence, the birth of the S-list.  So returning to my being an terrible blogger, I must hang my head low and admit to this horrid offense.

I suppose my only excuse is that, life has gotten in the way, but then, who's life doesn't get in the way, so this is not a legit excuse.  Now that my mother is in a good state of health, comfortable in her nursing home, I still find my mind wrapped around her well-being.  Yesterday, she told me I don't have to come everyday, which I don't...I take off Tues. to prep everything for the cleaning lady the next day and Saturdays, so I can have some time to spend with my hubby and/or son when he's here for the weekend.  But she insisted on  telling me that I still don't have to be there every day to feed her lunch, she's quite capable to feed herself, albeit with out utensils, but she'll give it the ol' college try anyway.  My mom will turn 91 next month and she thinks nothing of it, but I guess I'd feel the whole "birthday" thing a bit anit-climatic too if I reached that age, which I pray I don't, not like that.  I already told my daughter I don't want to suffer like my mother, so please enlist in the hiring of a "hit-man or "hit-person' to be more PC..bleh!  One shot to the head and I'm lookin' at the face of God!!  I know, how morbid, but after seeing what my mother has endured and all the many residents in the nursing home, and mind you, it's considered the "Hilton" of nursing homes, even thought, the Marriott owns it, it's enough to want you want to cry.  As a dear friend told me the other day when she took her aunt to visit my mother, she said, "I wanted to come home and put a gun to my head and pull the trigger, but I don't own a gun and never will, but you do know what I mean??"  Yes, I do, sadly, I do.

Ok, enough of that and on to something lighter.  I finally finished my little Coco-Head dolls, after I began them in early May and had to put them on hold during my mother's journey to her eventual present state (Oh, there she goes again, Morbid Molly!!)  However, I now have more stuff  on the ol' work table to finish up and anticipating my completion soon.  I have so many ideas floating around, that I actually had to write them in my sketch book to remind me.  My sketch book is nothing more than a journal filled with ideas, many not even thumb nailed, but I do express the descriptions well.

So here are some pics of the completed work and I promise, I will return with more.

I had so much fun making them, that I'm making a series of little skelly coco-heads to be used for ornaments...can't wait!  Some might be thinking, "Why does she call them coco-heads," well, in Mexico, they make these fabulous wall hangings and the heads are made of half a coconut head, hence the name.  Of course, I have little to no access to coconuts and even if I did, I'm not into cutting, milking and cleaning them out...not this girl!! 

Oh, yea, I forgot, so what's with Blogger.  I had to come over here to another web server to access my blog and my list of blogs.  I was on my regular Google Chrome and when I went to blogger, I signed in, and my page came up but my list of fav blogs was gone, GONE, I SAY!!!!!  I almost lost it, so I came here to one of the other 3 I have and found it here.  So what's up with that???  I took it as a sign from the Universe to blog or ELSE!!!!!!!!!!!!  So here I am.

Well, time for me to hit the ol' studio and begin to play since I took the day off, as advised by my dear ol' mom.  Hope you all have a great weekend and play lots in what ever you do and don't forget, if it's raining, don't worry about it unless your made of sugar, so go out and walk in it!  Before I go, I leave you with a pic of my Zoe-girl her mommy took after she asked her if she had eaten that chocolate cookie she was told to leave for her brother.  Peace out.

Hey!!

Just a real shorty, y'all.  Busy, busy, busy and even now, as I type, I'm watching the clock...errands then off to the nursing home to visit my mother.  Until later, hopefully tomorrow, I'll write more, but I leave you with a picture of my little Zoe-girl who decided she was a more practical fit in our entertainment centre's drawer than our old VCR tapes.  Peace out.

Just A Note

I'm back for just a few.  It's been a bit of whirl-wind in the last few days.  As I mentioned in a past post, after my mother was hospitalized last Sept., two weeks after she turned 90, all went to hell for her and my sister decided to return to El Paso to be her full-time caregiver.  I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate her for doing this, uprooting her life in Phoenix and returning home to care for our mom...she's a friggin' saint!  Anyway, due to my mother's deterioration, her needs have become more profound, making it an emotional and physical roller coaster for my sis, so she decided she needed to take off a every 2-3 months, just to reboot.

So she left for Michigan last Tues. to visit an old, dear friend who is terminally ill, but still enjoying her life at full throttle.  My mother was already complaining about feeling badly, again, but then what does one expect at 90??!??  My mother went up the road to Las Cruces, NM, to stay with my brother and we knew he and his girlfriend would treat her like royalty, which they did, briefly.  On Friday, Fred called and told me her bp was high, very high.  Long story already made long, I went to her house, picked up her living room on wheels (Buick) since it was more comfortable to drive her back to El Paso and take her to the ER.  She was admitted, eventually, and my brother told my sister of her hospitalization.  She was upset at my mother's condition, but not my bro and me.  You see, the last time she went out of town, Mom ended up at the ER the day after she left, same problem, her leg spasms.  However, we told her to stay put in Michigan, enjoy her time with Julie, her friend, and know Mom is in good hands...she knows there will be bigger challenges upon her return.

So my friends, please pray for Mom and Letty as rougher times are ahead for them. Of course, Fred and I will also be vigilant and there to help, always, but the bulk of that 24/7 is on Letty's shoulders.  Thanks.

Now for just a lighter little transition, we celebrated Mother's Day yesterday since my son, Ian, wasn't here last week on the official day.  Now my hubby was taught never, EVER, use gift-giving occasions to replace broken coffee makers, toasters or anything that deals with kitchen crap (my ex one year gave me those exact thing for a Mother's Day, plus, I didn't get a chance to eat my nice Mother's Day meal at our reserved table at the country club...had to take out a screaming baby, Ian, out to the lounge area since the little guy was hysterical, his autism was still unknown.  I thought that perhaps one of the 4 other adults, who were our guests would come out and take care of him while I went back to the dining area to enjoy a meal, but an hour later, they all came out to the lounge, bellies full and ready to go home...memorable!).  However, I told him I wanted a a cast iron skillet...yes, ladies, you read that right, a cast iron skillet.  During one of my visits to Austin last year, I was staying with one of my best buddies, Irene and she promised to show me how to make chiles rellenos.  Now Irene is not of Mexican heritage but one hell of a great cook and her chile rellenos are the bomb!  I suppose I wasn't paying attention when my mother used to make them and she didn't like making them very often due to all the mess of frying them up.  Anyway, Irene told me a good Southern woman always has a good cast iron skillet for such delectable dishes and I really never considered myself as a good Southern woman since I'm Mexican-American, but I'm also a Texan and this state did participate in that little war back in the 1861-65, so that does make me a "Southern Woman."   So last night, after a really nice steak dinner prepared by my honey, both Ian and he presented me with two cast iron skillets...told him he could purchase them at Academy and didn't believe me since it's a sports store...he was quite amazed at the variety of kitchen ware Academy carries!!  LOL  They're already pre-seasoned, so I don't even have to do that..Yay!!  So very soon I shall enjoy making chile rellenos in my new cast iron skillet along with whatever I can muster.

Well, time to check out...going to run to the hospital for my mother's lunch to feed her.  Take care all, and as always, peace out.

Life in the Slow Lane

Howdy, all.  I know, I know, I said I wouldn't be such a stranger, but ya know what they say about the road to hell.  I told myself, "Myself, make time to blog and do some catching up," but myself sometimes can be a stubborn bitch!

I hope this post finds you happy, healthy and enjoying the upcoming warm weather, unless you live in Alaska or other cold places in the world.  Summer started here in March, but Winter decided it wasn't quite ready to say, "bub-by," so we've had a few colder days in the last 2 months, and I'm not complaining either.  However, all is on track and the temps are heating up and summer is in full gear to make things a bit miserable for some of us, especially those of us who still have evaporative coolers.  This area has been in a drought for many years now and causing great concern; the Rio Grande River down this way looks like the Great American Desert.  The rest of Texas caught up with those of us out here in far West Texas and the Southwestern U.S. and are they having some problems adjusting!  We're ol' pros at this drought stuff, so we can teach them a few lessons or two.  One of the things the city is asking it's residents, is to convert to air conditioning since evap coolers use a H2O and at times, can leak like a cascading waterfall when something breaks up there.  I say, great, city of El Paso, we'll do it, but are you willing to pay us a $6-8K for converting to that system???  Didn't think so.

Ok, here's an observation/rant.  In the last few years, well at the onset of menopause, I gained lots of weight.  I have always had a weight problem, but it became exacerbated by the Big M.  I now shop in the "fat chick" section of department and discounts stores.  Please don't take offense to fat chick, since I have always been a fan of the cartoon strip, "B.C." and love the "fat chick"  and the snake.  Anyway, the other day I was at Macy's and was looking at the regular size clothing and thought, "What gorgeous colours and cool flowing fashions!"  The racks were bursting with beautiful, cool Spring and Summer colours, linens and lose fitting, flowing tunics and pants.  Then I looked across at the WOMEN section, just a matter of 2-3 feet away from the regular fashions, and asked why is it that designers of large sizes think we big girls like the "English Garden" look, bold horizontals or the friggin' graphics as big as the Aztec calendar emblazed on our chests!!!???  REALLY!!!??  I shall also add that the tight, short skirts, the width and length of a 4'x4'' is not appropriate wear for those younger fluffy types or the older fluffy types who think she's "stylin!"

Now I will say that my mother had a lot to do with my attitude about colours, designs and all that is fashion.  Like I said, I have always been fluffy, on and off throughout my life, but never as I am now.  My sister, who is 4 years older, was a picky eater as a child and according to my mother, didn't really start eating till she was 10 years old, after her tonsils were removed, or so the story goes.  I, on the other hand, was a very enthusiastic baby, toddler and child when it came to food...no problems here.  However, as I got older, the "baby fat" wasn't melting as quickly as she preferred, so at age 12, she took me to a diet quack and there, he gave my mother all kinds of colourful little pills, which I obediently swallowed every morning and during the day.  I recall in the dead of winter, I perspired, no, sweated in class, looking as if I had just run a 20 mile marathon in the Amazon Rain Forest.  Well, in less than 2 weeks, I had dropped 20 lbs., hadn't slept in those 2 weeks and was completely miserable...she gave the pills to my aunt instead who wanted them.  My weight was always being scrutinized and eating became a game...what can I sneak and eat and won't get caught.  In the summer of my 15th year, my braces came off, my hair was cut in the Sasson short style, I lost weight and this ugly duckling had become a swan, but I didn't know that.  All my young life, all I saw in the mirror was that fat 10 year old.  My sis also suffers from weight problems and was also under the same scrutiny as I when we were young.  We're both amazed at seeing pictures of ourselves of those days of yore, and can't believe what beauties we really were, but neither of us could see it.  I recall a knit shirt I bought at 18 and it had pastel horizontal lines in lavender and my mother told me it wasn't a good choice, made me exaggerated my hips.  Later, I found a picture of me wearing said shirt with a pair of white pants, standing next to my now ex when we were dating, my arms were skinny and the pants were hanging off of me...I looked as if I were wearing a wire hanger...I was a bone!  But that wasn't the message I was getting.  I don't blame my mom, she was watching out for us and didn't want us to suffer, plus, it was just a thing of her generation since many of my friends were also under the same sort of  fat watch,  but it taught my sis and me a lesson, accept our children's body no matter.  Encourage when needed and always tell them they're wonderful.  Case in point, my daughter has lost 70lbs. in the last 8 months.  She was told she was on the road to an early grave and she had just turned 34, so she changed her lifestyle, began to run and looks wonderful and better yet, feels wonderful.  She has to be on her best physical shape with five children, ages ranging from 13 years-20 months.  I'm so very proud of her, but I was always proud of her.  She knew what she looked like, no one needed to tell her or ridicule her, her mirror worked just fine, but she needed that scare to get her in motion, physically and mentally.  Now she's one of those obnoxious runners!!  LOL

Wow, sorry about that..sometimes I just get on a roll and go with the momentum, as I should be doing soon in my studio. For those of you who do not prescribe to  FB, you haven't seen some of my latest  creations, so here they are.  I have yet to open up my new Etsy shop, so if anyone is interest, let me know.  For the exception of the chicken, donkey and yellow headdress doll, who all have new homes, everything is up for grabs, so please "grab!!"  LOL

 Well, it's time for me to get motivated and get my arse up and out of this office and do some fun work in the ol' lab.  Have a great week, take care and as always, peace out.  Oh, P.S., I know I mentioned a Giveaway...still working on that, folks, but I'll get back to you  later.

This & That

Good Morning, my bloggie friends.  Hope you all had a wonderful Easter or Passover.  We didn't do much in the way of celebrating.  I forgot to put up my Easter Bush and all my other little Easter stuff that I usually display a couple of weeks prior to the holiday.  I guess it was a combination of laziness and a lot of  "la viejitis," or old age!!  LOL  I recall my ex-father-in-law calling it "Oppenheimer's" which wasn't quite like Alzheimer's...his version had more to do with explosive brain matter.  However, I did make a homemade carrot cake, a delish ham, baked potatoes and salad and a few Easter eggs were distributed by your's truly to both hubby and son.

Spring has sprung out here in far West Texas and with it, comes gorgeous days and some not so gorgeous.  Spring can be both a blessing and curse out here.  Everything is in bloom, including allergies, sinus infections, wheezing, dry and itchy eyes, etc., etc., etc.  We also do some real estate exchanges with the state of New Mexico (probably get a bit of Arizona too from it blowing into New Mexico) and Mexico.  Those are the days when you shut your windows as to avoid all the dirt settling on your furniture, but unless your windows are caulked completely with super glue, dirt's going to find it's way in.  Then there's those times when our air conditioner isn't turned on yet and it's blowing and howling and it's 80 degrees in your house!!  Now aren't you feeling a little better about those late snow falls right about now???  LOL  However, when the weather is clear, which it has been the last few days, it's at the "gorgeous" level, plus, our air conditioner is already on, so no sweat till we reach the century mark and beyond...OY!!

Before I post my latest dolls, I wanted to bring something up.  Do you know that Playboy magazine really does have great articles in it....really!!!  How many times have you heard guys say the reason they get it is due to the "articles and interviews???"  Right, and I've got a bridge in London I want to sell you!!  Actually, I  grew up with Playboy.  My dad had this client who gave him a subscription every Christmas for years.  He used to "hide" it under his side of the bed, but we all knew where he kept it.  Of  course, as kids, we'd look at the "neekked" ladies, showing less than what you see on prime time tv these days.  When I entered high school, I began looking at it in whole new perspective, they had damn good writers and the articles were actually good and some of the non-sexual artwork was fabulous.  So when I'd see the old issue in a box up in my Pop's closet, I knew I could have at it and cut out my favorite articles and graphics, unbeknownst to him, however.  I found them the other day and had to laugh...how the times have changed.  I found lots of the articles naive and silly, but I'm not sure if that's a good thing either.  Have we become so desensitized in this world of technology, making our world a really smaller place?  Anyway, I decided to keep them as a reminder of simpler times (yea, Playboy had simpler times) and artwork that were actually drawn or painted and not computer enhanced or air brushed, like everything is now.

Let's hear a drum roll for my new stuff.  I call this series of dolls, "The Talkies," because they look as if they're telling you something and you really need to listen.  I wanted them to be a bit ethereal, I love that word, hence my choice of chiffon fabric for their clothing.  I utilized all these missing pieces of jewelry, that is, earrings without partners, broken necklaces and bracelets, pieces of chains and unused embellishments.  So here they are:

I posted them on Facebook and within a few minutes, I got someone who was interested in the red lady, so she's off now to her new home in London, Ontario, Canada.  I still have the other three looking for new homes, so if you're interested, contact me...I promise I won't bite!! LOL

Last night I attended a lecture given by my young friend, Jessica Pizana Roberts, http://www.jessicapizanaroberts.com/.  I met Jessica a few years back when I was still in school and she was   working on her B.F.A.  I got to know her better when we were partnered to do testing for a foundation under the John's Hopkins umbrella.  I don't never laughed so much with anyone on road trips as I did with her, ok, my hubby and I have some great times too, but for someone as young as she was, she has an old soul along with a sense of humour to match.  Anyway, if your interested in seeing her presentation, there's the link.  It may not be for everyone, but like I said, I know her well and this didn't surprise me a bit.  I invited one of my oldest and dearest friend, Ginny, to attend because I know she'd enjoy it as much as I.  Jessica added her regular flair of humour and it was questioned by one of the students (those goofy art types that are there because they "have to be."  LOL).  She now has her MFA from New Mexico State University and because of that, she should be serious???  Her lecture was about women's body images in today's society and I had to laugh when she showed a split screen of the Venus of Willendorf to one of her costumes....

I turned to Ginny and told her I was beginning to look like her....talking about women's body issues!!!!  LOLOLOL  During the lecture, Ginny turned around and asked me if I wanted a B12 tab...told her I already had mine earlier in the day.  She then reminisced about how when we were these student's age, we asked our friend sitting next to us if they had a joint!!  LOL  Anyway, we had a great time and then went to one of our favorite little eateries and had a salad and pizza.  I also want to show you what she gave me as a "just because it reminded me of you" gift," a pair of La Catrina earrings.  She and her sis had gone to the El Paso Museum of Art earlier that day and she said she saw them in the gift shop and had to get them...they're soooo Georgina!!  Spent a great evening with a great old friend...one of my many blessing.

Well people, time for me to get my day started and head on to the kitchen to get my pork tenderloin out for dinner tonight...making chile colorado (red chile stew) and some beans and coleslaw.  Then back into my happy place, the studio, to complete another framed Cocohead.  Peace out.

New Work, a Future Giveaway and Stalkers

Well, here I am again, after promising I wouldn't stay away long, but I did it again, I stayed away for a bit more time I had intended.  Actually, I've decided not to come too close to my computer since this thing can be addictive, giving me more time to do more stuff here at home and do research for new projects.

Speaking of new projects, I've started a new body of work and it's a little different from my usual "skelly" dolls and doodles.  I have this great personal library that I tap into for inspiration when I feel all dried up and it invariably works every time.  I haven't finished them yet, so no pics, but I can assure you, they're very different from what I've made in the past.  Back when I was in school, one of my art profs told me I would always do funky and whimsical stuff...why, because I'm funky and whimsical???  LOL  He said that's just my nature and thankfully, left me alone to create my own brand of work, instead of all that undergrad "ugly art."  I'm not sure if these new dolls are "whimsical" but most definitely,  funky.  Anyway, I'll post pics when I'm done.

I thought of having a small giveaway next month...sort of a celebration of Spring and all the work so many of us will be doing for the coming Halloween season.  So many of us eat, dream, breath, think Halloween year round, so this will be a little something to get everyone motivated...more later.

The other day I spent about 2 hours on the phone with my old friend, Sandie.  I've known her since 1974 when I worked at this insurance company in Dallas, during my other life.  She comes from a long line of Southern families, hailing from Atlanta, GA, and like so many fine Southern women, she has a whole set of  seasoned cast iron skillets and a quick whit to match.  She has this blog, which I can't post since she's gone "private," I learned this during our long discourse.  Anyway, she asked me if I had problems with stalkers...WHAT????   Oh yea, all the time!!!!!  She explained, "blog stalkers," not your regular, run-of-the-mill, stalkers!!  Thanked her for clearing that up...thought maybe it was a problem in GA.  So she told me her sister-in-law is a blog stalker and hence the reason she went private on her blog, she and her 4 other sisters, various cousins and other relatives.  She told me her brother's wife, who is "foreign" which in Sandie's world, could mean Catholic or from up North!!!  LOL  Actually, she is from another country, came here to this country after her grandparents, who were her caretakers, passed away before she turn 18, and attended Georgia Tech like all of Sandie's family.  There she met the brother, married and have been for many years.  This said s-i-l works as the administrative assistant to the V.P. of  a high school and according to Sandie, has too much time on her hands if she can read everyone's blog, then emails or calls the people that they're talking about!!!  Apparently, she's trying to stir the pot and create some animosity between the sibs, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., etc., etc.

Now, I've been reading her blog for years, and she does bring up family members and speaks of their particular quirks, which are down-right hilarious, along with recipes, quotes, rants and regional goings-on.  Sandie has told me many times that all her family are "bat-sh-t crazy, but as all good Southerners, we embrace our peculiarities and even boast about them!" LOL  Anyway, fortunately, the family is aware of the s-i-l's motives and just brush it aside.  I asked her why she's doing this and Sandie feels that it somewhat empowers her to attempt to distance family members from each other since she really didn't have much of one of her own, therefore, never developed good concept as to how families function, so the family is sympathetic but mindful.  So my question to you, my bloggie buddies, have you ever encountered anything like that?  I told Sandie I didn't allow "anonymous" comments on my blog, after having to delete comments from Chinese and Korean porn sites, so who knows if I'm being stalked.  The only blogs I read are the ones I follow.  Sometimes, I'll read someone elses' blog if it's listed as a link and recommended reading  and if I like what I'm reading, I'll follow it...that's how I found so many of you in the past several years.

 Before I forget, I had my daughter, Andria, and the two younger grandies here visiting for about 4 days.  Had a great time getting reacquainted with my two little ones, 3 year old Sammy and I are buddies and 14 month old Zoe, well, let's just say, she's still a mommy's girl.  When Andria was around, I was calling her, "Evil Zoe," since she just wanted to hang on mom, literally!!  LOL  The first time Andria left me with them, I wasn't sure how Zoe was going to react when she saw my face get her up from her nap and not her mom's....I was welcomed with a huge grin!!  We had a great time until "Evil Zoe" returned once her mommy walked through the door!!  Here's a picture I took of all of them (3 older boys were visiting their dad here during Spring Break) with my 90 year old mom, grandmother and great-grandmother...she was loving it too.

I'll post pics of my new work and more details on the giveaway next time around.  Have a great weekend, my friends, and take care.  Peace out.

All In A Day

Good Morning, my bloggie buddies.  I said I wouldn't be neglectful anymore by staying away too long, well, it's been a while.  I've been busy doing, making, thinking, crying, laughing...well, what all the rest of you do in a day.

I think I mentioned that I was in the process of making a couple of dolls for submission into "Art Doll Quarterly," and hoping this time something will "stick on their walls!"  As I said in my last post, some of their selected pieces are either, what I consider, sculpture or just cheesy, but having different perspectives is what makes the world go around and around and I hope my work will influence someone's world!  I don't know why this is important to me, since I'm not of a competitive nature nor do I give a holy baloney what other's think of me or my work, but somehow, I want to do this.  "If at once you don't succeed, try, try, try again," has become my motto as of late.  I guess it's my post-menopausal brain guiding me into the darkness!!  LOL

My mother has had a few set-backs lately.  Almost a month ago, the specialist administered a epidural into her spine to alleviate her horrible leg spasms.  We hoped she would be that percentage that didn't need the procedure more than once, but no such luck.  The leg spasms have returned and 10 fold.  As I mentioned in my last post, my sister is caring for her and I thank the good Lord for her every day...she's a Godsend.  My hubby and I were planning on a short trip to Tucson, AZ for this week, but when mom landed in the ER last Saturday, due to the return of a particularly horrible spasm, he canceled our reservations and we decided to have what my daughter calls,  a "staycation."  However, my sister is aware of our presence.  We were planning on going out with some friends last night, but when my sis called needing my help in getting mom into bed, we decided to make some homemade pizza instead.  I went over there to help her get mom into her bed and stayed for a bit since my mom wanted "her girls" to keep her company.  I returned to my pizza dough ready to be punched down and spread on the sheets,  good timing!  The evening turned out fun and we all had our fill of veggie pizza or sausage...I only ate the veggie!! LOL

Today, my hubby will be taking an online drivers course, due to his speeding ticket this past Thanksgiving weekend outside of Sonora, TX.  The deputy was the usual Texas, pot bellied cop cliche, accent and all.  As he walked away, he told us to have a "good day," and you can imagine my reply, with windows securely shut, however.  Well, the course will be several hours long, so I will have to relinquish this machine to him soon, so I must make it quick.

I'll be spending my time in the studio, continuing on my little offerings to said publication, listening to some new cd's I treated myself to the other day, Philip Philips, the 2013 Grammy picks, Gotye, The Lumineers and Mumford & Sons.   Music, books (the real thing, no downloads for this gal) and art supplies are my weakness.  Oh speaking of books, I just finished a really wonderful read, it's called "The Prisoner of Heaven,"  by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.  He hales from my European home ground, Barcelona, Spain.  It's a real page turner and if you like intrigue, you'll like this book.  I haven't read his other books, but I'm hooked now.

Well, my lovelies, it's time to say adieu for now and I'm sorry there's still no artwork to display, so I'll leave you with a photo of my "power to reckon wtih," Zoe, after engorging herself on a rather large, pink cupcake.  Peace out.

Time, Time, Time, What's Become Of Me

Good morning, my few bloggie buddies who still might remember me!!  I have been so absent, that I've almost forgotten about this stupid new blogger thingy.  I know for most of you, it's become a everyday format, but I'm still figuring it out!!  LOL

So what have I been doing lately, well, a lot of nothing, creatively anyway.  I've been a bit out of sorts since about Sept. and my muses are slowly returning from their long vacation at a small bar in the Bahamas, the sluts!!  I'm working on some new/old dolls to submit to Art Doll Quarterly.  I attempted a couple of years ago to submit some of my box dolls, but they were not accepted and I was quite miffed since the issue that I submitted them for contained lots of dreck (Yiddish for "caca"), well, in my opinion.   I didn't renew my subscription and until last Fall, I hadn't purchased an issue.  How's that for Prima Dona behaviour!!??  LOL  Ok, so I put on my big girl chonies and decided I wasn't "all that" and subscribed again.  The mag still has lots of dreck, but they also have some wonderful works of art too, so I just have to expect "the good, the bad and the ugly," when it comes to any art publications.

I want to take a moment to thank my sister, who moved her home and life, back  to El Paso to care for our mother.  In my last post, I wasn't kind concerning her cooking skills, and for that, I have apologized.  She has "da touch" in the kitchen also and has been caring for our 90 year old mother since then.  My sis is a God-send and I thank Him everyday for her love, care, concern and dedication to our mom's needs.  My sis has a heart of gold and and some big-ass stones along with that...the lady has "hutspa," lots of it.

In December, we had to say good-bye to our little Mr. Peanut, a.k.a, Senor Cacahuate.  He was diagnosed with liver cancer in the early summer and doctor said that he could live for another 6 months, year, maybe two, but our little guy made it to the 6 month mark.  I cried the entire time I put away Christmas of '12, on Dec. 28th.  He had a rough start, but my stepdaughter chose him up at a animal rescue facility, since she was told he was unadoptable due to his bad disposition...I would be pissed off too if I were mistreated and kicked in the face, breaking my jaw, by my owner.  He quickly took to all the lovin' provided by his new family and when Jessi moved up north to Chicago, we kept that little guy here with us.  Thank you , my sweet/bad-ass doggie...see you in heaven, because all dogs do go to heaven!!

Before I leave you, I want to post a pic of my little Zoe girl taken on her first birthday.  My daughter had a big Lady Bug theme party for her and Zoe will not have any memory of that festival, but her parents will!!  So here are my goils on her Zoe's "burpday" as my daughter used to refer to them around the same age.

Have a great week, my friends, and I shall return and post again, this time with pictures of my creative endeavors...sigh.  Peace out.