Karina and me at Red Canyon

13 December 2008

Hope your winter is wonderfu this year!!!

I am doing OK, though GERD is something that is killing me again. No more prescription, equals burning and aweful ugghhs.

But, I am here to THANK those of you who are watching my artwork, and a great BIG one, for those who've bought my holiday cards. THANK you for the boost of hope it gave me!

 I work hard to make something enjoyable for the people I love, and I had to share my things. I'd planned to offer my OSU Beaver, University of Utah and BYU holiday greeting cards as well, but I just haven't had the time to do all the work on listings. And, LOL, I have noticed the big difference in the fees Ebay and PAYPAL are charging! Boy! I am not charging enough for the things I have listed...Unless you buy more NOW. I have less in PAYPAL than I've racked up in fees.

ANyway, that is life I guess. I hope to offer some more dragon and mermaid bookmarks, and ACEO's soon. Now that I am no longer making holiday scenes, I hope to devote a few moments each day to artwork again. I still have to make sure I get all my cards out to people on my mailing lists, wrap all my presents for family and make a few things for last minute gifting. We still have yet to choose a family or two to help out this year. Hubby and I usually give away desserts, meals and gifts each week. I feel bad that most of the food I give away lately is frozen meats and things, so that I can "Make room for more". It is kind of fun to just unload a bunch of foods on people I know are hurting this year, and even cooler when they've never tried some of it....Calling pork ribs an exotic food blew me away! LOL, you just bake them in the oven for an hour, smothered in BBQ sauce, and you have a tasty entree! Anyway, I hope that we can afford to continue to give and help people in our little community out here, and that by doing so, our daughter can enjoy life more. This time of year is difficult for her. She has health problems... when the cold comes in, it really takes it's toll on her.   And she has a hard time because her dearest Grandmother passed away soon after Christmas a few years back; she still misses her foster sisters(one went back home to her sweet mom and the other was finally able to accept being adopted, after five other homes). So, you see, we have to try hard, to help her deal with depression, due to these things.

LIfe is hard for many people, if you are one of many who are struggling this year, please, know there are people out there who can help ---if they know about your needs. And that the power of positive thinking really makes a HUGE difference in how things work out. Do all you can to see things in a positive light. And you will feel blessed.

ABOUT ME 

I work with what I can. I am a self taught artist. Oh, sure, I took art classes in Jr. High and High school, but I had wild talent. I didn't know the first thing about presentation, or how to get my things to work out the way I really wanted them. I went to school in Springfield and Eugene(home of the University of Oregon), OR. From elementary through community college. Years later, after I'd married... I moved to my sweetheart's home town of Corvallis, OR(Home of the Oregon State University) I started going to guild meetings just before I was juried in in 1995...  and learned quite a bit from the wonderful members there. I was chosen to be a resident artist in all of Oregon, as one of a couple dozen who would travel north to south teaching art classes in the public schools. I had also been asked for all my floral paintings and drawings for a gallery collection and submission to wineries on the Pacific coast. And had been asked to become an equal partner(and the youngest at that) of a gallery in Corvallis. But I gave that all up to move here to Utah. For some reasons, it was worth giving up a future that would be financially successful  as an artist there.  I keep using sharper hindsight than I should.

God knew what he was doing when he sent us way out here in the "toolies". Out here, we are out of the way. Few friends or family ever come out to visit. We go out of our way, and drive hours at a time to see them, and find it harder and harder to feel it is worth the effort any more. But God got us away fom a lot of hearache and pain, and gave us, ironically, better healthcare than we'd ever had. If it hadn't been for two doctors out here, our daughter wouldn't have had her diagonses for her JRA or for her connective tissue disorder. She might not have had the severe flare ups at a lower elevation and the milder climate we were so accustomed to; but she might not have known that she had a reason for complaining, and for her frequent illnesses. She would have continued to think she was damaged goods. She's not, she just has health issues. Her life is a miracle. And she is one of the greatest gifts God ever gave me...The other one is my husband. He is one of the best men I have ever known. Whether he believes me or not, I feel he is one of the best examples of a kind and giving, good person I have ever seen in action. He just wants to do what is right. To do God's will. I see him as God's helper, and as someone I can truly admire. He is amazing.

My family is very artsy craftsy. We work with clays, paints, wood, leather, yarn, beads, textiles...whatever we can,  to be creating something interesting, or of beauty.

We try to work hard and do the best we can.

If you see something you like, but want a little different, feel free to contact me, I will be happy to arrange a custom listing, so you can have just what you want. I am an artist who loves a challenge. And loves to create things that reflect my love of life, of the world, and of the imagination God gave me.

If you want to use your RME account to pay for my items, be sure that you have set it up within 3 days BEFORE auction close. That way, you can arrange your funds and, hey, even use the cash they gave you to make your purchases!!! Cool, right? More and more artists I know are starting to use RME as their main accepted service for accepting payments. It is safe, really safe, and has many benefits for using it. And if you click on one of these buttons, you also help me, as well as yourself!

I will be offering prints of some of my past artwork here as well, some fantasy, some still lifes, landscapes, etc. If you see something you want, bid on it.

Life is too precious a gift to not relish the beauty of it. 

I hope that my love of God, life and the miracles that are in my life may show in some of my work.