My First Train Case!!!

As you know I spent some time vacationing in sunny CA with my sister-in-law and best-friend-forever (i.e. sil-bff) Sherry Goodloe of GotArt? ...don't you just LOVE her blog!!!

Well, Sherry, my sil-bff, over the years has picked up some beautiful vintages cases. When I visited her they happened to be stacked up in preparation for the move that was cancelled for May.

If you have read my blog and hers, you are familiar with her unending generousity. As I was packing for my departure, Sherry was continually adding to my "loot" from my visit, throwing in things that she knew I would be able to use creatively.

The she looked over at the stack of beautiful vintage cases and said, "I oughta give you one of these cases", to which I replied, "Yes, I would love one".

Sherry perused the stack of vintage cases and pulled out a case. (My heart was thumping with anticipation.) She opened the case (she had a few item stored in the case) and said, "I was looking for that". She examined the interior, then closed the case and pulled out another, and I'm thinking, "that's fine, I love all of them".

She opened the next case and examined the interior, in excellent condition. She looked at me, put the case back in the stack and said, "I'll find you one". Meaning that she was NOT going to give up her treasures, but would find one for me while she was doing her "rounds" (i.e. flea markets, etc.).

Didn't she find me a beautiful vintage train case! I can't wait until it gets here!

I am so glad she is my sister-in-law best-friend-forever!!!

I will let you know when it arrives! Stay creative!

Lezlei

Been Missing My Blog

What have I been doing? My "favorite" thing, of course...spreading myself too thin!

First, there is the commitment I made to complete my unfinished projects. I finished Bernice and began working on the costuming for my other paper clay doll project. Costuming is a new thing for me with my art dolls...not easy. But I forgot...

I had signed up in January for Cyndi Mahlstadt class (Gwendolyn) that started in March over at one of my favorite online shopping spots, Joggles. The class has a specific duration, so I really couldn't postpone my participation. I love her dolls and I am having a great time in the class. See the pics. And then...

I joined the Art Dolls Only (ADO) Ning Network. I am sooooo excited to be participating in this group! And not exactly being the "bench warmer" type, I signed up for my first ADO challenge - Shakespeare. For my inspiration, I chose Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew" characters, Katherine (Kate) and Petruccio. It needs to be complete by May 4 and I am making pretty good (not great) progress, but having so much fun creating...but again...the costuming! I will finish the armature for Kate today. Then I needed a quickie...so

I went blurfing (i.e. surfing my favorite blogs) and bounced over to Creative Workshops, a site created by Gail of Shabby Cottage Studio. The site offers some great workshops and lots of "eye candy"! While I was enjoying my browsing, I noticed that Gail has a free gift bag tutorial available on the site!!! Perfect! Finishing the little gift bag in one sitting gave me a bit of a a sense of accomplishment I needed. (Yes I bounced over and did some shopping at Shabby Cottage Studio...you KNOW I did.) There is also a picture of my finished gift bag...thanks Gail!

Enjoy the pics and feel my frustration!

Stay Creative!

Lezlei

I Just Had a Thought!!!

That Sherry!!!! I've been bamboozled...taken in by an elaborate method of deceit!!!

Remember back in February it was her birthday. Well, I decided that books would be my birthday theme for her...so I bought her a few books for her birthday. She made a comment in an email yesterday that we got so many books that now we can't remember where we saw the haiku brush technique (we both bought a Haiku brush while I was visiting).

DO YOU KNOW WHAT SHE DID!!!

Day 1 - Wire Dress Form

The first day (Thursday)...I wake up and find a gift for me. I thought, "how nice". Then Sherry told me that there would be a gift every morning!!! Wow! I should have thought of that! When I arrived I just handed over the goodies I had for her. My first gift (above) - a wire dress form to embellish (I can't wait to rust it up and embellish!)

Day 2 - Tim Holtz Ornate Plates

Day 2 - Tim Holtz Grungeboard & Ephemera

A Tim Holtz Day! These items are new for Tim Holtz and probably JUST made it to market. Sherry picked up these precious items at the Stamp Convention...cool. I know what I want to try!!! Yippee!!!

Day 3 - More...see that cute little birdie! A tin for my Cyndi Mahlstadt Class!

Day 4 - Rusty Things!

By now the days are running together! I am having trouble keeping the things separate so I know which day they belong to.

Day?...Masks, Butterflies, Chopsticks, Friend Coupons...

Day?...More Ephemera! Beautiful Lacy Paper Napkins

Day?...More! Hey I know what I can do with that doll head!

Day...Glittered Letters and Flourishes, Special Glass Glitter, More!

How was I bamboozled?

There were so many wonderful gifts that I couldn't fit them in my suitcase! Since I didn't want to pay for an additional piece of luggage, I decided to mail them. There were so many gifts that they would not all fit into the FREE boxes available at the USPS! I had to buy a large sized box to fit everything. I threw in the few items I purchased while there.

My box arrived on Saturday and I began to unload it. Where am I going to put everything in my 1 room existence (another story) so I can remember where it is when I need to use it.

Now I am thinking...all the gifts were PAYBACK for the birthday books! What do you think?

Sherry...thanks for all the wonderful gifts...hehehe!

Stay Creative!

Lezlei

Where Do I Begin?

With my sincere apologies for being away from my blog for so long!

I had a WONDERFUL vacation in CA with Sherry of GotArt? (who happens to be my sister-in-law and bff). You're going to be SO jealous!

But first...I arrived on Wednesday at the Ontario, CA airport, not the John Wayne airport as I intended. The best that I can figure out is that when I was changing my reservations with the help of a reservation agent, he used my default instead of the destination I had originally reserved. Got a great price on an AVIS car rental...at the John Wayne airport...too bad I was at the Ontario airport where they had NO cars.

I tend to stay pretty calm in situations after all, I am an AVIS Preferred Customer, standing in the AVIS Preferred Customer line. The agent said they had some cars coming, but they were a little slow getting them prepared (i.e. washed, etc.) for the next customer. I smiled and gave him my patient eyes and said "If it's any consolation, I rent from AVIS because the cars are always clean and the fuel tank is always full." He seemed more relaxed.

Well, the first car up was a little light blue Hyundai...well I had reserved an intermediate size vehicle, but I drove away in the Hyundai, not for the great price I had for the intermediate car I had reserved at John Wayne...but for about $200 MORE!!! Well...it is what it is...headed out to run a couple errands before meeting my daughter and grand-daughter for an early dinner.

On the way, I decided the the Hyundai was just TOO small and uncomfortable for me to spend that much money! So I stopped at the AVIS in Chino Hills and explained my situation and asked to swap into a larger car. Well...you can't exactly swap. You have to close out the car (and paying for a minimum of 1 day - even though I had the car only an hour...$60 bucks with all the airport fees) you have and start a new contract at the new location.

So that's what I did...and with paying for 1 day (really 1 hour) with the Hyundai plus the cost of the new car for the remaining period ( a Chevy Malibu)...I ended up $100 bucks LESS than my great price for the car I reserved at the John Wayne airport!

Don't start the party too soon! He drove the car around to me, gets out and tells me that he didn't have time to wash it and the fuel tank was only 1/2 full!

OK here comes the WONDERFUL stuff...

Early dinner with my beautiful daughter-in-law and grand-daughter was awesome. We went to Chipotle's (my first time)...love the concept and the food. It was soooo good to see them...I really miss them in my daily life. After dinner we strolled over to the Chino Hills Farmers Market where I bought kettle corn for my nephew (Taylor) and 2 pieces of the "mystery item". Sherry is having a great give away for the person that can identify the "mystery item". Pop over here if you want to give it a try. Hmmm...hope I didn't give it away!

This post is getting way too long...see part 2 coming up next!!!

Stay Creative!

Lezlei

Sisters Got Art?

Yep!!! Well if you have read Sherry's last few Got Art? blogs, you already know that I am having a great time on my CA vacation! It is so wonderful to have uninterrupted creativity. Sherry and I have waaaaayyy more ideas than we could ever execute in a long weekend...but it has been hilarious trying. There is a sneak peek of some of the things we have been creating and places we have been here.

Every day I wake up to another gift (can hardly wait to share with you). How cool is that!!!

Make sure you read Sherry's blog...but remember...there is MY side of the story yet to tell...lol.

Stay Creative!

Lezlei

Just like I Pictured It...

Swimming pools...movie stars...rain. I DON'T CARE!!! I am in CA and taking a break, FINALLY and hangin' out with my sister-in-law. Big plans starting Saturday..."Paris to the Moon", "Art Warehouse, projects, projects, projects! AND every morning I get a gift! I think I will save the pictures for a cumulative post...it has already been GREAT!!!

Stay Creative!

Lezlei

Meet Bernice...

According to my commitment...I am trying to finish my started projects before going on with something new. I had 2 paper clay projects in process. I was able to finish one over the weekend.

Meet Bernice...

With basket in hand and flowers tucked tightly under her arm, where could Bernice be headed? Perhaps she is on her way to school and the basket is filled with morsels for her lunch (and to share). Maybe Bernice is on the way to a sick neighbor with a basket full of yummy homemade treats and hand-picked flowers for good cheer. You decide.

Bernice is a one of a kind art doll. She is hand sculpted (no molds) from paper clay. Bernice was inspired by a photo of my great aunt Bernice taken in 1923. A photo of the real Bernice is shown also.

Stay Creative!

Lezlei

A Raisin in the Sun

Well, thanks to a nudge from my blog buddy Sue Barton of Bartons Originals and a near threat from my sister-in-law Sherry Goodloe of Got Art, I made it to the play on Saturday. I love community theater...I forgot how much.
I enjoyed the play (A Raisin in the Sun) and enjoyed being out of the house...and I looked gorgeous...lol. I remembered a quote from the play that I love..it always touches me when I hear it (the mother is responding to her daughters harshness when the brother loses the family's money)...

"Honey, when do you think is the time to love somebody? Is it when they get a big promotion? Is it when they’re successful? Is it when all their investments pay off? Is that the time you love somebody?

Honey, the time to love someone is when they are down and out. The time to love someone is when they’ve made a mistake in their life and they feel bad. The time to love somebody is when they have nobody to reach out to. The time to love somebody is when life has whipped and beaten them.

That’s the time to love somebody."

Sue, Sherry...thanks for the love.

“A RAISIN IN THE SUN” is a play by Lorraine Hansberry and tells the story of a family living and struggling on Chicago's South Side in the 1950s. It is a fiercely moving portrait of people whose hopes and dreams are constantly deferred. The themes are very much relevant today.

"A Raisin in the Sun" was the first play written by an African-American woman to be produced on Broadway. March of 2009 marks the 50th year anniversary of the Play's Broadway debut. It was made into a major motion picture in 1961 starring legends Sidney Portier and Ruby Dee. "

What a wonderful piece of American history!

Stay Creative!

Lezlei

Too Stressed!

And you will never guess what has stressed me out! An invitation (that I accepted) to go out to see a play this evening with the next door neighbor. I have been stuck in the house so long...I can't seem to even WANT to get out! This is not good.

Also I have been away from my computer (and you) all week because I am letting my brother use it. I have been working on the two paperclay projects...finished one. Too bummed to even pull out the camera.

It's a hour before we are supposed to leave...I will let you know if I make it.

P.S. Picture above is of an ATC I made eons ago for a red, whit, and black challenge that I call "Harrassed By These Thoughts".

Stay creative!!!

Lezlei