Birthday Party for our Matriarch of the Family

Yesterday was my mother in law's 75th birthday, and my daughter was off of work so we worked in the kitchen together to pull a little birthday party together. The husband was working on her car as it just decides to quit running while going down the road at say 65 miles per hour and that's not a good thing. She needs a new used car but is saving for that and is hope soon to get a raise to help that little situation out but in the mean time Dad comes to her rescue.  Some sensor and he found out the one ball joint was really bad, so that would mean the front tire could come off too at any moment. Not a good thing to have happen. 

While this all was going on I cleaned the big 55 gallon fish tank again but this time there wasn't a big white Oscar in there...we or I should say the husband had to put him out of his misery on Thanksgiving morning..it was barely breathing..sad it was... So the joke is we now have flushables in the tank... the white Oscar was about the size of a 2 pound bass, maybe 10 inches long so he took up major visual space too in the tank.

So after the food shopping for the birthday dinner the oldest and I went to the pet shop... we purchased two red ones like the photo about and to beautiful blue ones.  

The Gouramis have a lung -like  labyrinth organ  that allows them to gulp air and use atmospheric oxygen. Kind of cool much like the betta's fish. Our Sophie the Cat love the action in the tank.. we will probably add more to it but wait to see how these guys do. Love the long feelers coming out and they use them to touch each other and things in the tank.  Like two whiskers hanging there.

Crazy to get excited about some small little flushable right? but I do Ever since my dad had back surgery for a slipped dish the doctor told him to get a fish tank it would calm him down to watch them...We've had one now in our  Kitchen for at least 15 years. 

So for today...got some stuff to do as usual for a Monday, but I'm hoping when I'm up stairs working on a Tack Down Tuesday's piece I can get a start on tack down some papers on the next big piece.(#11)

Here are the papers that I made the other day, I cut the Gesso and painted Kraft paper and stitched it too. Kind of hard to see. but today I have to also slip in some sewing on the husband sweat pants...a bit to long...the things you do for love~

Close up of a section on the paper. 
I've got some ideas and would like to carry them out. I'll be using Purple and this periwinkle not my normal color palette so pushing the boundaries here a bit and getting out of the comfort zone.  Not sure how it will turn out but I do see some ideas making themselves to the surface of this piece.

Well I had planned on getting down the Christmas stuff from the attic but never got to it, hoping this week between picking out art for Caribou Coffee and the North Central College show...got to have that read and a list of what you're showing so they can have title cards and such ready...

Just some randomness too. I receive the Professional Artist Magazine and I so enjoyed the article by Brenda Hope Zappitell (artist, mom too) about Balancing the Family life and a Creative life.  I'm going to share some of her words here.

She writes: There are so many positive things about being a mother and an artist. On a practical note, my routine is flexible, enabling me to be available for any school activities or if someone gets sick.(my case to drive or pick some one up from the train) On a more philosophical note, I beleive my work evolves from who I am as a person. The experiences I have with my family enhance everything I do in the studio. Conversely, what I do in the studio, which is all about speaking my truth and digging deep into my soul, enhance my daily life. 

When I read this I had a overwhelming flood of connective feelings...and wanted to read more about the woman, her art and the balancing act that comes with it. Brenda share other woman's stories which was even better.. but I've always felt we are our art, all the stuff that I struggle with and all the stuff that I'm inspired by does come out someway or another in my work..Maybe not right away but it's what feeds it.. I may complain about the these struggles but that's usually when I'm bored, when I'm not it's what fuels me, my home, my people...you know your family members all the way down to the critters you keep.

Now for some great information about shipping art..some day I will be doing this...it's in the dream I have...the one where I drive my old pick up truck to the studio and let my four legged loves out to run around and then I go in start up the wood stove and get ready to pack up a piece for a gallery...
Xanadu Reddot blog- shipping art work.

Ok time to get going on the day..must walk...one foot in front of the other today...the coolness is inviting for me out on the path in the woods.  Waiting for Hanks Pony jacket to come in for him. he get cold fast..one layer of hair is all the Danes have...not even a under coat for these guys..not like our Carl..