JOURNAL QUILTING

Once again it is time to finish my journal quilts for this year's show. This time it is strictly an online show of three of the journal quilts that we want to highlight. What was so exciting for me this year was being able to use my art journal drawings to make these quilts. This is truly a first for me to be using my creations from beginning to end! I won't be posting photos until after the grand opening of the show debuts online (October 15th). So STAY TUNED!!! Today I am sharing some of my photography from our summer vacation to California. The pier at Huntington Beach where the US OPEN surfing championships were held.

RELATIONS

OVERSIZED WHOOPIE

When we were down in Huntington Beach this summer we saw this guy dressed as an oversized Whoopie cushion. Considering it was over 80 degrees on the beach I bet he was pretty uncomfortable!

Today I ran over to HIGH FASHION and bought some lovely fabrics for some quilts I have been playing around with in my head. It was like visiting an adult candy shop. Actually it was like being in "Mood" on Project Runway. Too bad I don't know how to make clothes. Since it was for art quilting I could buy any fabric I wanted. I walked up and down every isle touching all the fabric and running my hands over each and everyone! That is what I like so much about art quilting. Nothing matters and there are NO rules! Stay tuned for my ideas to unfold over the next few weeks...

A RIGHT OF PASSAGE AT ANY AGE

These women ages 75 to 100 accomplished something that was denied when they were young girls, reading from the Torah. They had to overcoming all their disabilities to go after something that was so important. Their Bat Mitzvahs seem to be only the beginning of more education for each one. I hope I am still going strong at their age!

ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM

I have a small calendar of Kliban's Cats that I use everyday to write things I have to do. If I misplaced it I would be very lost. This is the one that has birthdays, anniversary's, and my everyday schedule in it. I saw some bike riders in my neighborhood that whizzed past me this morning looking like this cartoon! I need that much energy to tackle my cluttered dining room.

COOKING A QUICHE

While at the doctor's office today I picked up the newest copy of GOURMET magazine. Flipping through the pages I decided to try making a quiche that caught my eye. Although it called for broccoli, I am changing the recipe to a spinach-mushroom quiche. Hope it turns out. I just mixed up the batch of pie crust for the bottom of it. I have to refrigerate it for an hour and then cook that first before putting in the filling. Perry is the taste tester for my recent adventures! I tried to be a Vegan for two weeks and couldn't stand it any longer. I don't like soy and there just wasn't enough to eat! Now I am on a cooking kick but not like Julie from the movie JULIE & JULIA.

THE EYEBALL PUZZLE

I have a whole sewing studio to put together this weekend. We finally moved furniture out of one bedroom and cleared the way for me to set up my room! Of course with so much to do and so much on my mind I still find time for nonsense! You give it a try. You can also change the cut of the puzzle to make it easier. http://www.jigzone.com/puzzles/CE055D4CA6D6

NEED A LAUGH THURSDAY

My friend just called to tell me that a water pipe broke right in the middle of her home. That isn't good! I was thinking about how to cheer her up and these cartoons came to mind. Enjoy your day.

THE NEXT SURVIVOR SERIES

• Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks

• Each kid will play two sports and take either music or dance classes.
• There is no fast food.
• Each man must take care of his 3 kids
• keep his assigned house clean
• correct all homework
• complete science projects, cook and do laundry
• and pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money.
• In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.
• Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time--no emailing.
• Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment.
• He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care.
• He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.
• Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house
• planting flowers outside, and keeping it presentable at all times.
• The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.
• The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, adorn themselves with jewelry, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails polished, and eyebrows groomed.
• During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.
• They must attend weekly school meetings and church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.
• They will need to read a book to the kids each night and in the morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by 7:00 am.
• A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information: each child's birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size, doctor's name, the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labor, each child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear, and what they want to be when they grow up.
• The kids vote them off the island based on performance..
• The last man wins only if.... he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.
• If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years, eventually earning the right to be called Mother!

TRANSPORTATION

I made this art journal page after we returned from California. This was the coolest airplane ride I had ever taken.

THE KISS

Blissfully- Art- Journaling is a wonderful site that I belong to. Can you believe that before I joined this group I had NEVER kept an art journal before. Now I am soooo hooked that I carry one with me wherever I go. This is an entry called "KISS KISS KISS" which is my interpretation of from a prompt about kissing.

KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD

I love going to Austin and each time I do there is something to explore! Tonight will be no exception. We are going to hear my future nephew, Sergio, singing with his band. They are called, MAPS OF ASIA, and will be playing at The Cherrywood Coffeehouse. If you live in Austin you might want to catch their show. Avery is moving into her place today for the school year. I bet she is thrilled to be getting away from the "parental rules" for a while. I remember coming home from college to visit and feeling boxed in and watched. Being out on your own is COOL---being babied is NOT COOL. I would LOVE to move to Austin. How can I make that work?

TOUGHTFUL THURSDAY

One of my best friends, Debby, just lost her mother this week. Even though I didn't know her mother well, I knew her through my friend because she talked about her a lot. She had cancer and so we talked about her doctor appointments, her aches and pains, her treatments and how she handled these struggles in her life. I knew that she loved to play dominoes and that she loved her four daughters very much. It is hard to be close to someone that loses a loved one. Even though Debby seems to be handling the situation well, I know she will feel a loss only a daughter can know. Though it hurts, celebrate your mother’s life in any way you can. Don’t feel guilty for grieving, we all do it, each in our own ways and for our own periods of time. Take whatever time you need, it’s ok. However… don’t forget to live. Know that continuing to live your life is what your mother would want for you. I suggest you tell all your friends and loved ones how much you care for them NOW before it is too late.

STUDENT DIET: DON'T EAT MOLD

EAT PLENTY OF THESE: As college students enter the halls of elite education and higher learning, here is one piece of advice: Learn from the caveman. "How the caveman worked, he'd check stuff out -- the look and smell of it," said Jeff Nelken, a food safety expert, about suspicious foods. There are many actions that college students can take to eat in a healthful way and enjoy their college years without jeopardizing their health from excessive weight gain or weight loss. Among some recommendations are:

• Get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Lack of sleeps affects one's ability to concentrate and makes one feel tired. Sleep deprivation also seems to be connected with weight problems.
• Avoid skipping meals. When a meal is skipped, the subsequent hunger may cause one to overeat.
• Eat breakfast, which helps concentration and increases the likelihood of consuming calcium, folic acid, and vitamin C. These nutrients are often low in the diet of college students.
• Manage portion sizes. If portion sizes are underestimated, one may eat more calories than are needed. Also, the availability of a wide variety and mass quantities of "dorm" food (pizza, soda, etc.) may promote overeating and a significant increase of total energy intake.
• Drink water and eat fruit throughout the day. Water is calorie-free and fruits help manage urges to eat and contribute fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Exercise regularly. Physical activity helps burn off calories, helps manage stress, and promotes mental and physical stamina.

Become familiar with the campus environment and the foods that are available. Most colleges and universities have a variety of eateries, each with a different format, theme, and food options. Hopefully your camping experience isn't like this:

DOUBLE BUZZ

I was lucky enough to capture this photo while sitting out on the porch where we stayed in California. I hate bees but these were so busy that they didn't notice me sitting there taking pictures of them.

HUMMERS

Anyone that really knows me knows about my love of hummingbirds! While in California last week I captured these hummingbirds in the garden out front of the house we were staying at. It was easy because I just sat outside and waited for them to flit around the beautiful flowers. WISH I WAS STILL THERE NOW.

AN OPAQUE PRESIDENT

I was never into politics earlier in my life. I didn't really see a need to get involved. But ever since Obama got into the race for the presidency, and was elected, I have made a concerted effort to read or listen to everything that is going on. This is something you should listen to: http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/lou_dobbs_/2009/07/29/241337.html

• As it stands, Obama is the only president in history whose birthplace is unknown to the public – a fact that would be stated on the actual birth certificate. Interestingly, his family has mentioned two different hospitals in Hawaii as the place of birth.
• Obama’s refusal to release his birth certificate does mean that Obama remains one of America’s most mysterious and opaque presidents ever.
• Obama’s campaign refused to give Columbia, where he earned an undergraduate degree in political science, permission to release his transcripts. Former President George W. Bush and presidential contenders Al Gore and John Kerry all released their college transcripts.
• Among the key documents that Obama continues to shield from the public: Ironically, Obama accused the Bush White House of being "one of the most secretive administrations in our history," and chided then-Sen. Hillary Clinton for not releasing her White House schedules.

SANTA BARBARA FUN

During our California trip we took a day to drive to Santa Barbara to visit Phyllis, Brent's grandmother. Perry, Lane, and Avery had never been there before so we wanted to show them around. Our first stop was the Santa Barbara marina for lunch at a place called BROPHY BROS. They had excellent clam chowder! I actually had some fresh crabs for my lunch.

Our next stop was the court house so we could take in a view of all of Santa Barbara.

Our last stop was the beach in Goleta, where UCSB is located. Avery wanted to surf but the waves weren't that good. I was doing what I enjoyed most, sitting and taking lots of photos of everything!