Paint in My Hair

Forget Me Not

Maybe this is a bit overboard but.........It's breaking my heart to leave my kids for 9 days.  Will Luke even remember us when we get back?  There's no question of him being well cared for by Colette.  In fact I've said many times I want to grow up to be like Colette.  But will he forget about his old life, with his slightly less organized and more easily distracted mother. 

So here's his little shrine to his real parents. (Why am I having flash backs of the rhesus monkeys I learned about in college)   The photo is printed on that ridiculously expensive printable fabric you can get at Office Max and then sewed into a little pillow.

Shannon worked on it at my Friday Sweat Shop (AKA Friday Group).  She even brought it home to finish.  She gave it a little handle for portability.  Thank you Shannon!

Aside from leaving the kids I am crazy excited about our trip.  Thanks for the tips on shops and sights to visit.   I'll give you a report when I return.   Cheerio!!!

Guess Who Turned One?!?!?

It doesn't see possible, but a year has gone by!  Much to Lily's chagrin, we had  a mellow little Birthday.  She was hoping for a giant bash.  Luke and I did go to her school to have lunch with her.  (It appeared she had already informed everyone of his big day.)    I made gooey brownies after dinner.  Luke started out Nervously, but soon his cheeks were stuffed, his eyes huge.

I'm busily preparing for our big trip.  Dave and I are going to Germany to see my brother and then to London.  This will be my first time in Europe.   I am engrossed in tourist literature.    I cannot wait!!!!!
Any ideas on what we should or shouldn't do while there???

More Decorating with Laura ___n

Here are some more pics from Mel's house.   The little dresser still needs pulls and a glaze.  I left Melanie with all sorts of projects.  In fact, she probably needs to fly me back out to help finish.   I did the paintings below to complement her vase.  She says they look like a mountain scape and sunset.  I think that would be a pretty apocalyptic sunset. But maybe Mel needs a reminder of things to come to keep her in line.  Ha ha ha. 

A few random things:

Annie, from Simple Arts interviewed me and my mom at the Bernina reunion in Chicago.  Her website temporarily crashed when she posted our interview (hmmm... coincidence?)   It's back and running.  Just scroll down until you see my mom's hot pink hair.  Annie was so fun to hang out with.  She looks about 35, but claims to be a bit older than that. (I'm not buyin' it)

My friend Dana, of Dana's Design Studio, mentioned me in her blog.  But every time she entered my last name Blogger would remove the Gun from Gunn.  Weird, eh. Anyone know what that's about?

Well I'm off for some Spring cleaning.  I mean windows open, music blasting Spring cleaning.  The sun has returned to St Louis!!

Fresh Squeezed Yellows?

Is it just me or is there something wrong with this picture?   Dave and I saw one of these cruisin' down the highway and we had to laugh.  It's actually more orange than these oranges.  Do you think that an entire committee of color blind people designed these.  Or maybe it's an ingenious marketing technique.  Maybe I'm just another sucker giving them free press.

Ahhh... that's more like it.  My "almost 16" year old niece is spending a few days with me.  She talked me into getting these funky yellow sneakers.   They're like sunshine on my feet. 

I am having too much fun with my niece.  Today we'll be doing some digging through antique stores. I'm so spoiled.  Last week I did some shopping with Heather, the queen digger.  What's that expression about all play and no work?

The Land of Sunshine and Jelly Bean Trails

Why does Luke have an orange beard?  Ask the Easter Bunny.  A trail of jelly beans was found last Sunday morning from each child's bed.  Luke sweetly drooled jelly beans on Isaac and Heather's carpet. (He kept finding the darn things all day)  The others managed to keep them in their mouths. 

It was an almost perfect Easter (All except Dave's absence).  We started with a frenzy of Easter baskets, a pancake breakfast, and getting children clean and dressed--All in time for 8am church.  Well, OK,  "in time"  might be a slight exaggeration.   

We ended with a scrumptious dinner at Heather's mom's.  We sat outside and glutted ourselves with her beloved cheesy potatoes and strawberry pretzel dessert.  Ahhh.....It was nice to be in Arizona.

How did I manage this lovely escape to the land of perpetual summer.  Easy, I duped my friend Melanie into flying me out to help decorate her house.  Not only did I convince her that she couldn't manage without me, I also convinced her it was her own idea.  Wow, I am good.

Here's our first makeover.  After a mere 45 trips to TJ Max and 35 to Tuesday Morning, we came up with this. (I've included a before picture)  I did the painting above her bed.  I think we were a pretty good team and I'll be asking her to talk me into flying her out here next. 

Three for One

This will be like 3 posts in one.   I've been running around like a crazy lady, doing too many fun things at once.  Tomorrow Lily, Luke and I head for sunny Arizona.

Real quick, just to fill you in on Lily's reaction to my last post.  She was thrilled.  She dragged Teddy around that day with even fiercer affection, breaking into little bursts of unexplained giggles .  He, of course, will be coming to AZ with us.  Who knows what sort of trouble will come of it.

Post one:  I love Flickr

Have you ever seen anything prettier?  I'm in charge of the invitations for this big church dance for the youth.   The theme is Neverland.  I needed something "undisney" and found this enchanting photograph by Jay Patel on flickr.   Doesn't it scream Neverland?    All of his photography is amazing.  He was a pleasure to work with.  And the invitations are done!  Hallelujah!

Post 2:  Good things come to those who wait.

I just finished this dogwood painting for Collette.  I brought it over, made her put the nails in the wall, and then promptly told her my publisher wants it for prints.  So this morning I will steal it back from her for a few weeks.  Meanwhile, she'll have a blank wall (except for the nails.)

Post 3:  $29

My friends, Kim and Patti, did a smashing job putting together this "birthday party"  for our women's organization at church.  For any of you who have tried to decorate a gymnasium, you know how hard it is to make a space like that warm and inviting.  But they did it.  And they did it for $29!!!  I thought these ideas would also be great for a birthday party at home.

1. Plastic table cloths in various bright colors
2. Giant "confetti" cut from construction paper
3. Cakes ready for the guests to decorate
4. Streamers and homemade paper lanterns

Well, I'm off.  Time to drag out the summer clothes. The next time you here from me I will have defrosted a bit. 

One O'clock Nap

Before Lily rushed off to school this morning she left me some very detailed instructions for Teddy.   It's not the first time she's given me instructions for him, but in the past it's been something like, "Mom, can you sew Teddy's head back on?" 

So as proof that I accomplished something today I have photographed Teddy at his various activities.  Lily is going to flip out when I show her these.  I expect that she will lay awake tonight, day dreaming of all the things Teddy needs to do tomorrow.   His schedule will undoubtedly tighten. Poor Teddy.

My schedule may even be tighter than Teddy's, with church stuff, and kid
stuff, and oh so many paintings to finish, all before my upcoming trip
to Arizona.  Yikes!   I'd better get to work before Teddy wakes up from his  nap.

Maybe I Should Get Out More...

I finally figured out how to use my camera phone.  I can tell that this new found technology is going to get me into all sorts of trouble.  Take Saturday, for instance:

I went to the Nordstrom Bistro with some girl friends.  No kids.  It's a good thing we don't drink because the freedom was intoxicating enough.  We stumbled upon this dress shop, and it was like driving by a car wreck.  You don't want to look, but you can't help yourself.  We were shocked, horrified, and dying to know how we would look in them.  The signs in the shop reminded us, "These dresses are not for play".  Oh, this wasn't play.  It was serious business.

Each of us found our perfect match.  Even Maddi found something for the pregnant prom queen.  We twirled.  We pouted.  (But not at all playfully)  Then we carefully hung them up and discretely left.

Hiding Spilled Milk

Maybe it's the weather, but I felt like painting something completely different---something, dare I say, dark. I don't mean dark like ominous, just dark like slate tile. 

Speaking of slate tile, I want some.  Every place we live has white tile or linoleum in the kitchen.  I want something that hides dribbled milk or even chocolate milk. Same goes for carpet.  Give it to me dark.  In the meantime, here are some spilled-chocolate-milk -inspired-slate-like-paintings.  I call them Slate Tile and Indigo Tile.

Braggy-Brag

So I was browsing through the New Era HD website.  I've mentioned before that they publish limited edition prints of my paintings.  I'm very excited about working with them because they distribute to Crate and Barrel, Ethan Allen, etc.  Not bad, eh?  (I totally heart Crate and Barrel.) 

But I diverge.  I was looking around their site and saw a link for the new catalog.  Oooooh, thought I, I must take a look at that. I clicked on the link and ...what the hay...that's my painting on the cover!  I like her in her headless pose.

A few weeks before that, I had happily discovered that when I refresh their main web page my Calla Lily on Gold shows up. She is slyly peeking at us. 

Well, I can't help it--gotta brag a little bit. What a pleasant surprise.