working working working....

So much to do this time of year. Not only is there Back to School but also Fall sports. Last weekend we had 7 soccer games to attend. Tournaments are always exhausting but so much fun. Kind of like the Fall show season. So much work...but so much fun. The Tinsel and Treasures show is NEXT weekend. I can't believe it is finally arriving. If you are in the area...don't miss it. It has more than doubled in size with 16 artists, 4 different make and take sessions with Ulla and free admission.

You can get all the show information at the website and stop in and visit the blog. There are great sneak peek photos along with artist information and photos.

In other exciting news...

The Gilding the Lily classes are now up and available for sign ups. You can view these classes on their blog.

There is the Vintage Cabinet Card class

and The Littlest Witch class.

The Littlest Witch filled up quickly so we decided to add 2 more spots.

I will be traveling to Gilding The Lily with Iva Wilcox who will also be teaching. She has 2 wonderful classes on the schedule. Check them out. It will be a fantastic weekend of art, art and more ART !! Hope to see you there !

It was a weak moment...

Not a big fan of birthday's. Well no...I take that back. I am a huge fan of OTHER people's birthday's. Just not mine. Why? I dunno. Just not. So the husband caught me in a very weak moment. I think I was feeling happy happy about the backyard getting put back together...and I was missing my girly friends. So when he mentioned a little birthday get together...yup yup let's do it....was my response. As the time approached I wasn't quite feeling all that excited but hey...I made the commitment.

I truly have the most ah-ma-zing friends. I don't know how I got so lucky. In our lifetime we hope to have a couple of really great gal friends. I have a number of them. The ones you can call at anytime...day or night...for any reason. And they won't mind.

Here is one of them. Laurie. Words can't explain the wonders of this woman.
I said...no food, no gifts, no nothing...just come and let's hang out. We will eat and gab and share a cocktail...but please come empty handed. If you knew Laurie you would know that that is just not possible. This is what she brought. A cake that emulates my banner. I mean COME ON. If you look closely you can see the lamp on my worktable. The silver coffee urn with my paintbrushes.

Tears...that is what I brought to the party.

Did I tell you my friends were Amazing?

Catching up....

We are back from vacation....it's soooo good to get away every so often...especially when you go somewhere tropical. We survived Hurricane Felicia...the scraps of Felicia. I will tell you that the people that live on the Hawaiian Islands are definitely ready for a hurricane. They did not mess around when it came to the safety of the residents and visitors and even though the hurricane had been downgraded to a tropical storm, they were prepared for much more.

I promised more more more pictures of my fantastic trip to Portland. You can find them here and here. These gals did a bang up job of capturing the wonder and gorgeousness of this studio and this one too. Stop by and enjoy the magic.

Exciting news for me !!! I am thrilled to have been invited to teach at Gilding the Lily in Fullerton, CA. Iva Wilcox and I will be teaching two classes each the weekend of September 26-27. Four classes in total...it will be a weekend of art, art and more art. Information for signing up will soon be posted on the Gilding the Lily blog.

p.s. Summer Vacation is almost over...enjoy...live it up...eat dessert first...tonight it's white cake with vanilla frosting and I'm going to N-joy...

Summertime Biziness

I love Summer...no maybe I love the "idea" of Summer. Relaxing with nothing to do and nothing on the calendar. You can read, sleep in, play whenever you feel like it...

YEAH RIGHT!

This summer has been like most others....filled with lots of biziness and wonderful memories being made.

In the past couple of months, besides soccer and basketball practices, swim meets and sleepovers we have

said goodbye to giant hair

and Elementary School

and the most amazing 5th Grade Teacher EVER !
(who is happily retiring)


The pool is done


the water is blue


The grass is green

and having patience
was key.

We celebrated a sweet birthday

!! 16!!

and my boys survived summer camp...barely.

We have been feasting on backyard smores

and creating bracelets for each other so we always stay connected.

I've enjoyed a trip through the country with sweet friends...to visit a new friend and

(Sue, Anna, Iva, myself)

her well known studio.

(for inside views...see Where Women Create...the book)

I've spent a long weekend with three amazing women.
We ate, drank, shopped and created our way thru Portland....

(Natalie, Lonnie and Stacy)

where the weather is gorgeous, the flowers unbelievable and incredible artists reside!

We lunched with the master of soldering...and got a tour of her studio...which is something you have to see with your own two eyes...in-cre-di-ble.

(Sally Jean, Stacy, Michelle, Natalie, me and Lonnie)

We had fun creating our own masterpieces in signature Lisa style...

and said goodbye to each other with a promise to do it again...soon.

Great memories, great laughs, great times.

I am excitedly awaiting a little family getaway. Our first in two years. We are going to be spending time in the surf and sun.

I will be back in a couple of weeks with some fun news to share and more pictures of my trip to Portland.

In the meantime...

Enjoy your summer!!

I Love This

Life is short...LIVE IT WELL !!

Live Artfully Magazine

I just got word that a couple of my girls are in an article about Birds of a Feather in Morro Bay, CA. The magazine is called Live Artfully magazine and it is the Summer/Fall issue.


Thanks Bonnie at Birds of a Feather !!

Tinsel and Treasures Blog...

It's here !! It's up and running. A Blog for the Tinsel and Treasures show !! Each week the blog will feature two Tinsel and Treasures artists and some fun "work in progress" pictures. You won't want to miss this. So be sure to stop by for a visit and bookmark the page so you can return each week to learn about all the artists.