Joyful Purpose

The Storybook Inn

I am off for my annual trip to Los Olivos, Ca  to kick off the Holidays.  My mom and I go every year and go Christmas shopping, wine tasting, and the annual Holiday Homes Tour on Sunday.  This year we are staying at the very cute Storybook Inn in the "Princess and thePea Room".  I am sure there will be many photos to follow.  Have a great one.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ...

Yes, It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas in our house.  My boys most definitely inherited the Christmas Freak Bug from me.  So  here are a few shots of the house so far.

The Holiday Cookbook Journals are bound, packaged and ....

MAILED! 

La Boheme

This is how I spent my Sunday .... My mom and I went to the Opera and saw my favorite La Boheme -it was beyond wonderful.  We also had lunch at this great French Bistro before - yummo.  It was a wonderful Sunday.  Here I am at the Barnes and Noble so that I could get online because the fires (again) in Malibu have taken out the cable and thus the dsl.  High quality problem as I get to sip an Egg Nog Latte and have some peace and quiet ;)  A prayer for all those families who lost their homes on Thanksgiving weekend.  Hope your weekend was a good one.  BTW the tree is up (pics to come) as the boys are so literal that "after Thanksgiving" means exactly that!  Yesterday we all put up and decorated the tree - it was a very good thing.  They are really excited about Christmas this year and it is intoxicating!

A day of Grace

I have a lot to be thankful for .... sons, husband, family, friends, and a rich full life.  But I do have an extra special grateful .....

Here is the new addition to our family - my new nephew Enrico Pakal Rossi - such sweetness

 

Our Thanksgiving looks a little different from some.  A few years ago  after being dissappointed thatI didn't have a big family over for the day (they are all spread out) I read this article about someone in a similar position.  She said instead of being sad about how "it should be" she made a new tradition for her own family.  So for the past 3 years our family goes to a holiday movie and then out to dinner.  This year we are seeing Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium and then to Marmalade Cafe for dinner.  It may look a bit different but the important part is that we are all together having fun as a family.

Hope your day is filled with Grace and Thanks!

Just a peek

  This is what I have been doing this week!  Some time ago I decided to host a Holiday CookBook Journal collaborative.  The art work is fabulous and dear.  Once I ship them out I will show all the goodies inside - but for now just a peek.  If you have never hosted something like this let me tell ya .... it's A LOT of work!!  Sorting, punching, binding and shipping - I love it don't get me wrong but they are worth their weight in gold.  I have found a way to make the time go a bit quicker ~ I watch downloads of Desperate Housewives on my laptop ;)  Makes the time and the task a little more cheeky!

 

The Winner Is .....

The winner is ..... drum roll please ...... Rachel Greig

Congratulations on winning the Journal Book!!

Happy Birthday Dear Friend

My darling friend Judi celebrated her 60th birthday yesterday amid friends and family which I was lucky to be a part of.
The party started with an afternoon tea and women's circle where we all sat in this beautiful room and shared thoughts, blessings, and wishes for her.

I felt it was important for her to have a crown - soo000 I made her this one for her special day ....

Everything was fabulous the food, the company and the music (Judi's  husband Steve is the voice of the Delgado Brothers an  awesome blues band) so they set up in the living room and we got to listen to wonderful music as we celebrated.  Happiest of birthdays my dear friend.

Give a Little Look - and a book

I received this beautiful box yesterday in the mail from wonderful Ginny of Small Studio productions.  Lucky me - I won her give away.  This is what came inside -

ephemera, cards, cameos, buttons, stickers, and much more ....

and of course it was lovingly packaged.  One of the gifts was a copy of the book "the 1000 Journals Project" and since I already own it I thought it would be a good idea to give a copy away!  So put your name in the drawing by posting here and I will announce the lucky winner by Monday.  I mean it is Thanksgiving and a time to be grateful after all!

Riches Received - make a list

  I received so much info from my weekend workshop with Lynne Perrella.  She is so encouraging and kind.  I was able to finish 4 pieces - this book above

This tryptych

This chandelier lamp shade and another special piece that I will show you later.  I also learned so much that I am not even sure if it has even sunk in yet.  One of the questions Lynne asked us was if LISTS played an important part in our lives?  Well, for me I love the idea of reading OTHER people's lists - very fun and very insightful.  Here are my current lists:

Grateful List
1. children
2. husband
3. home
4. animals
5. friends
6. opportunity to do art

To Do list
1. clean out closet
2. organize studio
3. work on paintings
4. put pics in frames
5. xmas cards

Project List
1. painting series
2. drawing journal
3. jewelry

Swap List
1. cookbook journal
2. 12 days of Christmas

Books to read list
1.  The Patron Saint of Liars - Anne Patchett
2. The Magician's Assistant - Ann Patchett
3. Reread the Spoils of Time Series
4. Richard Russo's new novel - own it but can't remmember the title right now

TV shows I watch:
1. Brothers and Sisters
2. Dirty, Sexy, Money
3. Grey's Anatomy
4. Ugly Betty
5. Pushing Daisies
6. Top Chef/Project Runway
7. Nip/Tuck

Top Favorite Art Supplies
1. acrylic paints
2. caran d'ache neo color II
3. gesso
4. b/w photos
5. gel matte medium

Art Mediums
1. painting
2. photography
3. jewelry making
4. collage
5. knitting
6. crocheting
7. sewing

What Lists do you have?

Frida's Trunk

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Marianne Williamson quote

This was a quote that inspired our weekend ....

Lucky me I was fortunate enough to spend 3 days with the fabulous, kind, humble, witty and generous Lynne Perrella!  Please see the slide show to view the incredible weekend.  The workshop was called Frida's Trunk and was based on a trunk of Frida Kahlo's clothes that were recently found.  We explored the two sides of Frida - the flowery, kitchy side and the dark side.  As you can see the work produced was just to quote Lynne "delicious" .... click on "view all images" to see photos closer up