making marks

I'm looking into more options in the realm of art - one includes engraving, but I'm not as sure of how steady my hand would be. Now doing the carving into wood is one thing, I go with the flow of the grain and let it happen - so goofs or not, it turns out pretty anyway.

But polished stuff, like these guys at corporate plaques, well - there's a reason they do what they do and I do what I do, I think. I mean, they have the shiny tools to make precise and clean cuts and designs.

So, methinks, that maybe way down the road, you know someday after I get around to learning glassblowing and such, then I might brush up on working with metals...

(p.s. that company is giving away freebies, if you're interested - Customized Engraving, 'cause I don't mind helping promote someone else with a bit'o'marketing.)

pillows! pillows! pillows!

keep on keepin' on

Not much to see here - I've gots things to say, plenty thereof really, it's the forming of actual words in an attempt to make sense that seems to be complicating my process.

Anyway, the photo above is of the red canvas I'd started, the one that eventually got finished and is now belongs to Amber.

Pre-prepped canvas bought from the store (they do the staples so much better than I do...), red acrylic paint brushed on thick then using a half-inch brush to swirl into the base coat. Let's see if I can find a photo with a closer view of those swirls - can you see them?

Then I started lining out in orange paint across the canvas lines at angles. Odd angles, angles that don't appear to be on purpose, but they are to the whole picture! Really!

And here's where I failed to get a whole picture of the whole painting - see, all that loading the car to drive back across to Texas, and all that driving, and all that weekend with the girls where I wired both paintings for hanging for them, and the hanging of this red & orange one on Amber's wall where she said she likes it and it fits her personality - well, with all that going on, I forgot to take a photo of the finished piece! (hanging my head in mock shame) (so, Amber, can I get a photo?) (grin)

Oh - and I have a job! Yea! I start monday!

two weeks later than before

I'm going to try to catch up a bit here, it's been a bit crazy for me these past two weeks, and I realize that if I don't at least attempt to catch up now, it'll probably never happen.

Let's see, after many goodbye kisses and leaving a handful of notes for Rob in the apartment, I left Jacksonville at 9am on Wed, March 26th.


I made decent time across Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana into Texas - down to Galveston to stay with my parents on the beach - altogether a 15 hour drive, about 848 miles. I was tired, but it was sooo nice to see my parents after nearly three months.

I went to lunch with Momma on Thursday, we wandered the square for a little bit, getting ideas and looking at all the pretties. Then I went to a job interview for a marketing position with a rally - I was impressed, I liked the position and was very inspired by even having an interview! He offered me the position, if we could move to Galveston, and let me tell you, after nearly five months of job hunting, that felt nice!


Since Daddy was in town for the TAM meetings, I tagged along to the museum tours that night with them. Texas Seaport Museum - where they handed us bags of popcorn and cups of Shiner! That alone made it nice to be back in Texas! -



Then to the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Museum - seeing the difference in drilling out there in the gulf compared to the drilling out here in the dirt.

Last stop was the Lone Star Flight Museum, after the bus driver took us over the bridge into Houston and back again, you know, the scenic route... A band played, a good number of planes in the hangar, a chocolate fountain with marshmallows (see what sticks in my mind, huh!)

Back to the hotel, sleep and back on the road Friday morning - heading up through San Antonio traffic into Fredericksburg to interview for a couple of massage therapy interviews - both went well, both would be great jobs too - and finally on to stay with Amber & Bobbi in Menard for a couple of nights.

Now, for me, this is a perfect escape. Usually.

I don't have any cell phone signal down there, none at all, which is usually nice and perfect for hanging out and chilling with Amber & Bobbi, and playing with the boys. But I'm quite fond of Rob, and missing him lots, and am putting my texting and phone minutes to good use with him, so limited communication for a couple of days is kinda tough.

So we girls hung out, catching up on everything, and we spent Saturday in Brady shopping.


We wandered a little antiques store where I found a heart-shaped cookie cutter, where we giggled at the animal print purses and the camouflage print bedsheets, where we ogled all the pretty shiny things that caught our eyes.


Then to the store to find things to throw on the grill for dinner that night, things like corn on the cob, mushrooms, bell peppers, sausage, steak, chicken, - oh, almost everything except the roadkill possum, thank goodness! ;) We decided to cut the corn into half-inch slices, but as Bobbi and four different knives can attest, it's not easy! But it's very good when grilled!



Amber made grapefruit margaritas, consumed while making dinner, while watching Austyn playing outside, while giggling and telling stories.





Dinner was wonderful, we chatted into the night, ummm, nearly 3am, right? We discussed life and work, past loves and past regrets, hopes and dreams, wedding dresses and hairstyles, all sorts of things that I'm glad Rob wasn't there for! The hanging out with my two best friends was the best part.

Headed out on Sunday, back to Odessa, back to cell phone coverage.

Let's see - since then I've had several interviews, and have several more lined up in the next week, here in Odessa. We're trying to find Rob work out here, to encourage his moving out here. I'm hoping, but am well aware of his commitment to the Army Guard in Florida, and am dealing. But for this Texas girl, it's nice to be home. I'm feeling better, but still taking medicine in hopes of getting over this mess soon. I've finished my taxes (finally!) and am now focusing on finding a job that will work best for me while here.

Gina and I are going to be looking at Papaw's old building on Andrews Hwy later this week, if by some miracle things work out financially, Lawrence can use the office for his business and we can use the rest for an art gallery and art workspace. At least having the space here to work I can pick up where I left off on the carvings and paintings, especially since there's not a whole lot on tv worth watching!

Allrighty, it's late, and I'm tired. Next post I'll try to have some art stuff up.

stopping in to say hi

I've been a bit on the sick side this last week, making me very lazy in the updating. But here's pics of the yummmy grilled dinner and the margaritas.

I have downloaded my camera, and do have several things to show you all when a few other things settle in around here. Since Bobbi & Amber now have their paintings, I can post pictures of those here, too. ;)