Swedish Aspen

I'm so excited to have discovered a new (to me) type of aspen. We were having dinner with some friends at their home in Evergreen the other night and I saw an aspen tree I'd not seen before. I learned it was called a Swedish Aspen. The difference in these trees to the more common aspen trees is they are a bit more formal in composition. They grow quickly and their leaves grow more closely to the trunk. It looks like a bullet. My friend told me they are so gorgeous in the fall with their bright red leaves, so of course I had to paint them with the red! I also noticed their branches start a bit high and grow up more than out. The leaves aren't as smooth as the typical aspen leaf, they are a big jagged.

So, "Swedish Aspen" is done on a 12x6" 3/4" cradled panel that I have stained on the sides. I used several different papers in the leaves along with the acrylic paint. I've included a detail pic so you can see the two media working together. The trunks are made from my own papers I've created just for aspen trunks. This is available on my website.

ENOUGH is ENOUGH!

OK all...As you can see by the pictures we had more visitors last night...It is as close as I could get considering the mom was probably very protective. I took these from my front deck as they were at the back deck on the side of the house. It was pitch black so I just pointed my camera and hoped I was aiming correctly! My lovely husband's bird feeder brings them...I think this visit FINALLY convinced him to take the feeders down...If he slips...hmmm...I think I'm within my rights to remove them permanently! :)

The handyman the property management people have hired to take care of our mold has more excuses why he is late or doesn't show that any middle school student I have ever taught...so it is SLOW!! Today while I was out trying to find a wireless connection to work from in town as our router broke or some such thing he was here and cut through a piece of ceiling to check for water and down came an old MOUSE NEST!! So, it is back to itching and feeling creepy! I've got to tell you all I am a fanatic about keeping my house clean, so for this to be going on is about all I can handle without wigging out!! So...does he fix it...NO, he just leaves, with the "promise" he'll be back tomorrow, maybe the next day to patch it...so in the meantime I'm sitting just feet from a gaping hole in my basement ceiling writing this as it is the ONLY connection I can get until we get another router...I threw the remains out the door and put some d-con near the hole, wrote this blog and then I am OUTTA this basement until they finish the job!!

Thank you for reading this rant...I've just about had it!! So, now I'm taking my itchy self upstairs, putting a towel under the door and taking a nap!! I hope you all are having better days!! Happy Painting to you all!!

Night Aspen

"Night Aspen" is another 4x4" contest give-away choice. Of course it isn't really night...but the dark blue against the white made me think of night. This is a small version of the 24x12" piece done earlier. This little piece is on a fiberboard with dovetail slots for hanging on back, or has its own little easel. As I love to do so often I have mixed acrylic with collage papers. The trunks are from my "special" handmade aspen trunk paper. When we reach 75 followers I will draw from the list and give the winner a choice from the contest choices on my sidebar.

We are still in the middle of the black mold saga. With the offending area cleaned up, removed and sheet rock replaced I am still waiting for testing in other areas of our basement as well as a new toilet to be installed. It feels a little like I have leprosy even though it is in the house. Seems funny to attach that feeling to my person! What all this HAS done is open up the most extensive cleaning jag I've ever been on! We found a leak in the old toilet, so I know it wasn't my housecleaning to blame, but it feels so icky here I just have this need to have it ALL totally clean now...including painting and even looking for new dining room chairs as ours are old and dirty! HA...so...am I going crazy? Don't think so...just waiting on contractors who never show up has left me feeling a bit helpless to get the problem handled as quickly as I would like...so I guess I'm doing what I CAN do...:) Anyone out there relate??

Purple Mountains

"Purple Mountains" is an 8"x8" 1 3/8" gallery wrap canvas that I painted around in acrylic. I mostly used pallet knife as I wanted to stay loose. I don't think I've used purple for the mountains in a long time...don't have a story to go with it...just wanted to paint them purple. Don't ya love bein an artist and the author of what you do!!

Purple Mountains is available on my website.

I want to welcome my newest follower. And wish you all happy painting today!

Aspen in Batik

I posted "Aspen in Batik" months ago at it nearly finished state. I finally finished it and got it framed and ready for sale. It is available on my WEBSITE. I love working in Batik as it gives a certain freedom to loosely interpret and it is exciting to me as you never really know what you are going to get! It reminds me of my early days working in watercolor. FUN stuff for me!

I think I'm finally going to be able to paint today as we have mold clean-up under way. I'm two floors above the mess, so I have just decided to open my windows and paint away! I've learned a lot about black mold in the past week; and it is certainly not something anyone wants to take lightly!

Now to announce the next give-away, which is simply another drawing when we reach 75 followers. I will draw from my followers and the winner will be able to choose from the contest choices on the sidebar of this blog. We are not that far away from this next thank you to my followers give-away; less than 10 I believe as I welcome follower number 68!

Marker Apples

and SO...just like I feared it has been a couple of days from...:)...Still waiting for mold experts and contractors and the like to come and deal with our mold situation. Today is the day they come back. Yesterday I spent the morning at orientation for subbing for the schools here and the afternoon cleaning out rooms that have had water damage in the past so they can tear into the walls and check...

All the activity has left me without a minute to paint, so I pulled something from WAY back! I've actually had it matted and will frame it because I like it, but more, I like the story behind it.

In 1976 I was attending a then small Christian college called Harding College in Searcy Arkansas. My parents sent me so far from Denver cuz I liked a boy that was a bad boy and they wanted to get me as far from him as possible...I was a rebellious spirit of sorts back then (probably still am in certain ways). We had to wear dresses to class and it got COLD in the winters, plus the boys would sit on the rock wall by the cafeteria and call out numbers for our legs and I thought that was barbaric! So, I wrote a paper and took it to the board and got the rule changed so we could wear pants. Part of my paper was so graphic (tasteful, but for Christian men a little embarrassing) that when I read the part about the boys and went into a bit more detail they blushed!...tee hee See...I broke their star football players finger because he was trying to touch stuff that was mine...so perhaps they just didn't want anymore broken football players fingers...who knows...but the rule was changed...

Anyway I digress (but I really wanted to tell you about the dress thing)...I had an art teacher that drove me crazy...If I put hours into a piece he'd give me a C...if I just threw it together in my dorm room the last minute he'd give me an A (we all know why don't we...coming from an artist point of view) So, one day we were talking about markers I mean the big ole sharpies. I told him I could do a still life with them and he said he didn't think I could do them well enough...and that was all it took...I went back to my dorm room and created these three apples with marker. I got an A. It was the first time he and I agreed on anything...

Later that week I said I could do a giant apple with marker...he said I couldn't...I did...I got an A...and if I ever find it, I'll post it too...:) So, "Marker Apples" from 1976! Let's hope I get to paint today!! Happy Painting to you all...AND...welcome to my newest followers...a new contest coming soon!

Makapulu Lighthouse

"Makapulu Lighthouse" is the third in my series of Hawaii scenes. These paintings have been inspired by photographs my son took on his recent trip to Hawaii. I believe this is on Oahu. I used a good amount of texture on this piece; I think rock just screams "USE TEXTURE!!"...and this one leaked into the sky as well. ( Yes, on purpose...) This is a 6x6" 3/4" cradled piece that I have stained on the sides. What I like about these 3/4" cradled pieces is they can stand alone as is, or are still of an appropriate depth where they can be framed. It is a win win!

I'm really hoping that I have time the next couple days to paint...I think I will need the peace it brings. We found black mold in the basement and that will mean quite a bit of clean-up! It is dangerous stuff!! We don't own this house...or I'm not sure, after all the trouble we've had of late, that I wouldn't stand back and burn it down! (of course I'm joking...a disclaimer...:))...but I DID find scripture in the bible about mold and mildew sorts of things...Leviticus 14:33-47...back then when the priest determined it couldn't be eliminated they tore the house down, and took it to an unclean place outside of town!! (In these modern times it would be the mold inspector and contractor) WHEW...scary stuff when it is in your house...I guess it is all the rain of late and some leaks that weren't properly taken care of...SOOO Wednesday is our clean-up and repairing day...For a clean freak like me this is...well...icky...so kind thoughts would be MUCH appreciated!!

But, as always...happy painting to you all!!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!

Jane Hunt is the winner of the summer challenge contest! I am so happy to be sending her choice which was "Daisies a Plenty"! Congratulations Jane! Jane is a very creative and excellent painter. If you have not seen her work I encourage you to pop over to her blog called Daily Paintings by Jane Hunt. She uses a texture in her work that makes it very distinctive. Jane was recently juried in to the Daily Painters blog. Those of you that are familiar with that blog will know that they recently closed their site as they had a large number of artists. Jane was one they chose during this closing process. They wanted work that was very distinctive and well done and I certainly believe Jane fit the bill beautifully.

I want to thank everyone who participated in this challenge contest. It was so much fun and very rewarding to see what you submitted and get to know you all a little better. Very worth it for me.

I will be beginning another contest shortly, so stay tuned!

CONTEST DAY is here!

{Remember this contest choice titled "Initial Tree" is unfinished just waiting for the addition of your initials...)}

Today is the last day of the summer contest give-away. It has been fun to post photos and see what some of you had a minute or hours to create. Below are the 7 paintings submitted by 5 artists around the world! Remember tonight at midnight the contest is over, so I will put the names in a hat and draw! The winner will get to choose from the 4x4" paintings, collages and card holders I've offered as give-away thank you's for being a follower and participating! (Click on the title to this post or on the photo on the sidebar to take you to the choices offered) Thanks to all who got involved! I'm glad I don't have to choose the best painting...I'd be hard pressed! Anyone who squeaks one in under the wire I will post tomorrow with the name and link to the winner's blog! I will contact the winner to find out your choice tomorrow.

Jean Lurssen created this wonderful "Coral Abstract"

Nancy Medina did two beautiful pieces. "Pink Gerbers" and "Berries and Creme"

Jane Hunt submitted a wonderful piece called "Lone Pine"

Liz Pearson also sent over two wonderful pieces (one made me cry)..."Shadow" and "Goose"

and, last but not least was Sema who also did a version of "Lone Pine" that I found very creative!

Cactus Crowd

"Cactus Crowd" is 8x8" canvas on panel. This particular panel is 1/8" wide. I've stained the sides and back so it can sit on an easel or shelf, and is thin enough to frame also. I like working on substrates that are versatile enough to work in different situations. This piece is mostly acrylic with a bit of texture on the cactus for effect. The texture on this one is much more subtle than on the other cactus piece I did, but it is just enough to rough up the surface a bit.

Welcome to my newest follower! It is always so nice to have everyone check in from time to time. Today and tomorrow are the last days of the summer challenge contest, so if you have a minute you might want to try one of the photos I've posted this summer. If you are a follower all you have to do is send it to my e-mail art4life44@hotmail.com and I will do the rest!

Cactus Crowd is available on my website. Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

Daisies a Plenty

"Daisies a Plenty" ( or is it "Daisy's a Plenty"?) is one of the contest choices. Created on a 4x4" 1/2" gesso board. As always I've stained it on the sides so it can sit on a little easel or this one has slots for hanging on the back. This is from Dana Marie's challenge blog "Inspiration All Around Us".

Duck Duck Goose??

This is our latest entry into the summer give-away challenge presented by Liz Pearson. She is the one who also presented her version of my Shadow kitty...I got such a kick out of this one. Not only do I love her representation of the photo, but she wasn't too sure if it was a duck or goose...I wasn'teither...So, I named this Duck Duck Goose? Some of you bird fans out there might just be able to settle this for me...until then, Thank you Liz (you can get to her site Art With Liz by clicking on the title). If you have been following the rules each time a painting is sent over to me that person gets their name in again...so Liz has her name in the drawing hat twice! Thanks again Liz for participating!

Sunday is the last day to send me a painting from one of the photo's I've posted this summer (or earlier if you find one). You have til midnight my time to get them in...so for you daily painters...you still have time if you wish!!

Have a great day of painting! I'm finishing up another contest choice that combines with another challenge blog I follow called Inspiration All Around Us that is maintained by Dana Marie...so you might click over to see what the subject matter will be...:)

Arizona Cactus

I'm playing again! Felt the need to have some texture, so I played with the photo my daughter's mother-in-law and my friend Diana gave me. They have another office in Phoenix so I feel quite sure she took this pic while out there in the desert...thus the name..."Arizona Cactus" done on 9x6"gesso on panel. I always stain these on the sides so they can sit on an easel or shelf alone, or can be framed. I plan to put this on my website, but I want to leave it alone for a few before I am convinced I am finished...I think I am...but, you know how it goes!

Hawaii Palms

"Hawaii Palms" is on 8x10" cradled panel that is stained on the sides. Originally I had anticipated adding more collage items, but ended up being happy with the trunks to the palms. Small as they are the tiny extra bit of texture brings them forward. My son sent me this picture from his recent trip to Hawaii and I was immediately fascinated with these mound hills off in the distance. I don't know what they are, but I've not seen anything like it, so it had to go in. This is added to the list I'm going to let my son choose from, and what is left I will add to my website.

The photo is the last I will post for our summer give-away contest. Red Bird was taking a bath in my mom's tree when I was there in June. I was surprised to see how long she sat there letting the sprinkler wash her off...Might be fun for any of you bird lovers out there!

As a reminder the contest is simple...Be a follower, choose ANY photograph I've posted this summer (or earlier if you want to go back that far), paint it, collage it, create an artwork and then send it to my e-mail at art4life44@hotmail.com and that is all there is to it!! I will put your name in the hat and choose from the artworks submitted and will send the winner their choice from the contest choices on my sidebar. I finally fixed the glitch on-line where my photos were stored so you can just click on the photo under contest choices to see the available little artworks to choose from. You still have time, especially if you are a daily painter...so why not give it a try!

Happy Painting to you all!!

Another Beautiful Entry!

It is rainy and SO dark here today that I can't photograph my latest, but that is OK, because I have a beautiful entry from Nancy Medina to post for our summer challenge contest. She calls this "Berries and Creme" and it is beautiful. I posted this photo a bit ago and remember commenting on all the PINK and sort of shuddered...and yet she attempted and completed something so wonderful with the photo. So, for your viewing pleasure! Nancy also completed another flower painting earlier on in the contest, so as promised her name goes in the drawing twice! I encourage anyone who wants to wander through my posts from the last couple of months to try one of the photos. You have until July 19 at midnight to enter!

Hopefully the sun will come out tomorrow so I can photograph the latest beach scene from Hawaii from photos my son sent...if not...hmmm...I may try it anyway.

Thank you again Nancy! I encourage you to click on her name above and visit her site...she does some wonderful work!

Welcome to my newest followers! Happy Painting to you all!

Another Entry

My friend and fellow blogger Liz Pearson painted this beautiful portrait of Shadow my cat that I lost through an accident at home. I posted the picture of Shadow as a part of our summer competition challenge. You can read about Liz's version of Shadow on her blog Art with Liz. Not only did Liz capture the feeling of who Shadow was, but in a way I have yet to be able to even attempt. Thank you Liz for painting Shadow! Liz is now another entrant into our summer challenge give-away! If you feel like attempting any of the photo's I've posted and sending it to my e-mail I will gladly post it and put you (one of my followers) into the hat for the drawing to win one of the contest choices that you can see on my sidebar by clicking the one shown to take you to a page with them all!

Three Poppies

"Three Poppies" is an acrylic created on a 9"x6" gesso on panel. As I have said before I do not want to give up painting, as sometimes I just feel like it! I know, I know...it messes with my recognizable self...but, this is the year I will experiment as I wish and see what comes of it. I know my different approaches to things keeps me from some prestigious sites, but I must be true to myself first. Who knows...maybe being versatile visually will catch on...HA

We have some days left to our contest, so hopefully some of you will have a moment to attack one of the photos I've posted the past couple of months...if so...YIPEE!

Three Poppies is available on my website.

Collage Poppy

Collage Poppy is a 6x6" cradled panel that I've stained on the sides. I used colored papers with acrylic painting here and there. I like using transparent papers as you can build up shadows by overlapping. I am going to look at this again in the morning before I decide if I've finished all I wanted to do, but for now I'm happy with it.

I finally figured out what was wrong with my 4G laptop. It had begun to run very slowly like my old dinosaur laptop and I was very discouraged! All it took was to change from Internet Explorer to Firefox and here I am speeding along like I had hoped in the beginning! YEA! I had to share that as it has taken a HUGE part of my time away from painting and I'm sure all your artists out there can relate!

We are 10 days from the conclusion of the summer contest give-away, so if you have a minute to poke through past posts (say that 3 times in a row without slipping) for photos I have posted and try your hand at one of them!

I think I have another poppy in me before I move along to perhaps another ocean scene! What fun!

ANOTHER one of those days!

You know those days where we start out with a plan and one thing after another comes up keeping us from what we had planned?? Yep...that's me the past few weeks! ARRRGGGGHHHH! I know you've all been there! I'm still fighting computer issues...living in the mountains has its own unique approach and I haven't found mine yet for this NEW LAPTOP! Apparently I'm going to have to find another way...I'm working on it...AND THEN...house problems are creeping up daily...so I spent the majority of the day on the phone and on the road trying to solve these issues...still in process...ALL THAT SAID SO I CAN SAY...I didn't get to put brush to canvas at ALL! Oh well...there is always tomorrow! I'm smilin still though, so no insanity yet!

So, another photo opportunity for any of you who may choose it for our contest. This flag is in my mother's backyard. She put it there among her beloved garden as a reminder that my sweet 20 year old nephew Casey Johnson is fighting for us in Iraq. She says it will stay there until he is home safe. I say awesome my mother!! Casey is the most wonderful young man. He gets a little information to us now and then, and mostly what he says is what we hear is NOT the reality of what it is there. Our men are still dying every day and the ambushes are frequent. So, for those of you who pray...please keep Casey and our other young men and women in your prayers...I call this photo "Casey's Flag". If you choose to paint it call it what you feel it needs to be called!

A reminder of our summer contest that will end on July 19 at midnight, so you still have time! Welcome to my newest followers! Here is a recap of the contest...All you need to do is paint from one of the photos I've posted in the past weeks; ANY PHOTO and send it to my e-mail, which is art4life44@hotmail.com. You can use your painting in any way you choose. The only other requirement is you need to be a follower. I will post your painting gratefully, I will put a link to your site and I will put your name in the proverbial hat and draw from those names and the chosen one will win a small contest offering. Most of the choices the winner can choose from I posted in my June 9 post so you can go there to see them. At the end of the contest I will most likely post all of them again so you can choose and I will contact the winner, get your address and send it right off as a thank you for following and participating! That is all there is to it! So, good luck and happy painting!

Aspen In Collage

"Aspen in Collage" was a couple of days in the making. As I have said before it takes a bit more when working in mixed media, but I LIKE IT! This piece is 24x8" gallery wrapped canvas

11/2" wide. As you can see I worked around the edges. I put this one in my Eye Candy section of my website, but I suspect it won't be long before these different sorts will be my norm...the fun of it is we shall see! I used handmade papers and bought papers and laid in the leaves a bit at a time leaving a darker area at the bottom. The grass is paper and the background is a painted ground of blues, purples and browns. I left the background free of detail so as to make the trees pop against its background. I wanted several layers of papers for "leaves" so as to build up a bit of texture and give the feeling of a bit of depth within.

Trees, as many of you know, hold a special place in my heart. I was raised in these Colorado mountains. As long as I can remember I used to tromp about the woods and was never tired of looking, really looking at these wonderful living statues that I believe God gave us as a present! The tree is a lot like people to me. In that I mean they are all different, yet the same. Each one has different scars and surfaces, but they are all trees. The ones with the most scars are the strongest, they have lived through many storms and natural dissasters. Our scars don't always show like the trees, but the strongest of us continue to survive and grow. And, we are all beautiful and are all wonderful presents from God. I don't seem to be able to paint them all the same. I see a different sort of beauty in every media I use to honor these beautiful presents we have to look at and feel cool under!

So, this is my latest offering. You can find it on my website.

I want to welcome my newest followers. Tomorrow I will remind us all of our summer contest, so the newest of you still have a chance to enter.

Waterfall at Sanctuary

This was a challenge painting for Dana Marie's Inspiration All Around Us. I built up a bit of texture for the rocks. This one has no collage...just paint and texture! It is done on a 7x5" clayboard panel. Simple and that is OK!

I spent the morning with my computer friend setting up all my particulars on my new laptop...FINALLY completed, so I'm cookin! For me, just getting a computer was much more complicated as I don't know how to do all the custom stuff to set it up...so it is 5 months of struggles and now 4G of storage and stuff! YIPEE!! BUT, now time to get back to my easel and the long skinny aspen collage I've been working on!

Don't forget you still have a good little bit to tackle one of the photos I've posted for our summer contest...just paint it, e-mail it to me, be a follower of this blog and you are in the runnin! Try it...My e-mail is art4life44@hotmail.com. Good luck!

Back in the Saddle Again

Ahhh home again, home again, jiggedy jig! Funny story, NOW! So, we went to Breckenridge for the 4th to see the art festival and just relax. We got to our hotel (I won't name it for obvious reasons)...and the room was just about the worst room in the history of rooms. The hotel was run down, hair on the floor, and the toilet was leaking all over the floor...SO, we requested another room...AND, hair on the floor, wallpaper peeling...YUCK...and some other stuff...SO, we requested ANOTHER room...sort of better...but this one had holes in the wall and dust everywhere and the window was DUCK TAPED SHUT...oh, back to the holes...I was convinced that they went all the way through to the storage room which was next door...and scenes of PSYCHO went through my mind. BUT, it was so late by then and not another room available in the whole city cuz of the 4th, so I settled for taking paper and stuffing it into the holes so I could sleep without images of Anthony Perkins eyeball swimming around in my head. I ignored the dust and the bare mattress showing because the bedding didn't fit and went to sleep. We did however take leave of our wonderful accomodations to go down to lake Dillon to watch the fireworks over the water. We parked about 1/4 mile up the road and walked down and then realized we'd forgotten our chairs, so we hiked back to the car for our chairs. One the way back the fireworks began, so as we are tromping along we ooohhed and ahhhed with the rest. We got to the water's edge, set up our chairs and continued our ooohhhs and aaahhhs for the rest of the show...about 10 minutes. HA. Yes, we laughed at ourselves!

Fast forward to Saturday and that was fun. We went into town and saw the show. My friend Carol Nelson had a booth there and I was tickled to see her newest creations of aspen leaves and chat about her experience thus far. Her reports at that point were that it was a bit slow, but she had two days left. Hope it went better for you Carol! And, Carol...I'm dying to see what you do with Tyvec and Poppies...if you so choose to try it!

My husband was fascinated with the parade. I've included a pic of the part of the crowd we could see. It seemed like 10's of thousands were there...all crowded on the streets. Guns blaring, candy throwing and it went on for EVER it seemed. One local we talked to said it is called the neverending parade. FUN!

And, so this little baby was a cutie, so I decided to add him (with his parents permission) as my tribute to the 4th! Until I get my computer friend and expert back up here to figure out why all my thousands of photos didn't transfer from my old computer to my new I'll have to do with what I've just taken...:)

NEW STORY...so, for obvious reasons we decided to come home yesterday instead of staying another night...:)...nice drive home...in the rain...alas...and we get home...Remember we live in the mountains up North Turkey Creek...we are sitting watching something on TV and I hear all these loud noises...we assume it is the fireworks...My sweetie goes down to the garage to shut the door (our garage is about 20 steps down the hill from our house with woods between it and the house). He just gets back inside and I'm walking towards our sliding doors on the middle level and I see a face in the door...of a baby BEAR! There he is cute as can be just looking in at me. In a nano second I realize the noise we have been hearing is a MOMMA BEAR and her two cubs getting into something on our deck! So, what does a good artist do? I run for my camera...and realize IT IS DOWN IN MY CAR IN THE GARAGE!! OH bother...another lost chance! No, I didn't try to sneak behind their backs to get my camera...I'm not sure, but I think my hubby had to restrain me for a sec so I wouldn't...So, I don't have any bear pics to show you...except for the one I just painted for your minds.

YEP there is a bit more news...I'm pleased as can be that I've been named in Tony Moffit's blog as a top 10 blog...thanks Tony...and thanks Nancy for telling me! And, I welcome my newest followers. I promise I'm back at my easel tomorrow morning bright and early to see what I might create. The jury is out on my latest aspen piece...At this time I'm considering pouring resin on it as an experiment...and I might list it under my eye candy on my website...Still experimenting on combining paper cast and painting...You be the judge.

Use the photo of the baby and crowd if anything strikes you for our contest...Remember we have until July 19 to get any paintings e-mailed to me to be drawn from...(art4life44@hotmail.com) Til tomorrow...happy painting to you all!

Aspen piece

This has been an interesting week. I am happy I have my new computer...but it has a few glitches and such so still working out all the bugs! One of the bugs....(and those of you who use the Photoshop Album Starter to edit your photos will want to note this...) is Album Starter is no longer available for download. That means that there is no support for this program anymore. I tried to transfer my old album to my new computer and no all photos came over. They are shutting down according to my computer expert. I'm not sure what that means in the long run. So, I'm still working out the kinks for that snafoo.

The second interesting thing is I am about finished with this latest Aspen piece and I'm not sure about how I feel about it. I know not all experiements will be successful...and I like the idea of this, but still haven't made up my mind. The paper casts are fun...but perhaps too whimsical for a piece that has for the most part realistic type trees...Would be interesting to have your thoughts! And, my feelings about this may reflect my frustrations about the breaks of appliances, the new computer that still has bugs, etc. etc...Ahhh Life!

So, my computer expert is out of pocket and we are leaving for Breckenridge so I'm taking a few days off from posting. Hopefully when we return and my computer person is available I will get back on track! I've noticed in posting this there is some trouble with my ability to get my cursor to click so I can type...hmmm...ahhh technology!

So, the flag photo I was going to post is not available right now for the 4th and our contest will have to wait. BUT, I'm wishing you all a Happy 4th of July!