New Years Eve 12 '10

We were fortunate to have all of our neighbors and friends over for New Year's Eve  

  And we all had a great time

While Bruce and I hosted the event, the ladies outdid themselves with  special  foods and treats

After dinner we all played some getting to know you games by trying to match the person to their baby picture.

Even Kat got in on the action by greeting everyone at the door wearing a large red bow and escorting them around the house.

Christmas Dinner '10

Our neighbors Joe and Julie D'Amore invited us to share Christmas Dinner with their family.

Julie and their two daughters did all the cooking.... if you can call it that  .. It was more like a five star restaurant multi-course feast.

Of course there was a lot of kibitzing afterwards

and board games that everyone played

Thank you ,Joe and Julie, for the wonderful Christmas gift of your friendship

A White Christmas 12 '10

We were having dinner with friends at the Pawleys Plantation Clubhouse this evening when it began to snow.  It didn't last long, but it sure was pretty. 

Combining Business and Pleasure in CA 12'10

 When CC learned she would be taking a business trip to California to check on her house rental,  She also arranged for some extra time to  visit with my family and friends  during the week of Dec 5 - 12 and promptly got busy lining up  appointments so that she didn't miss anyone  while she was there.

CC and Ellen Grun

First stop after my arrival  was a visit the rental house in California.  After meeting with the current tenant and  soliciting bids for service from several contractors, I was starving, and was delighted that my friend and former co-worker, Ellen Grun  could meet with me for dinner.  Ellen Joined HP the same year I did, so we have a long history together. It was so nice catching up on each others lives.

Next I went back to the rental and met again with the tenant and this time spoke with my gardener about  things I wanted done around the yard.

The next day, after meeting with  the  termite contractor again I went to spend the evening with  my Mom and her husband Ray

I also had a nice time playing with their two dogs

Filipe

and Roxy
After several more calls and discussions with contractors about minor repairs,  I finally was able to turn my attention a toward my daughter and her family in San Diego

Laura and I

 Laura and her husband David

 CC, Dylan, and Ryan

CC and Dylan

While my daughter was still working, Laura did  take a day off to spend some time with me

and show me the classroom where she teaches

She also let the boys stay home one day so we could bake Christmas cookies together

Dropping the dough onto  the sheet in small balls

Learning to break and egg

and Dylans favorite.... mixing in chocolate chips

 Scattering the white chocolate

In the evenings we went to see holiday displays

like the creche set 

at their beautiful Morman Temple

or this lovely display of Christmas Decorations, gingerbread houses and Christmas trees 

 The week went by all too quickly and much of it was spent on business,

 but I am glad I had a few moments to spend with the people I love.

Thanksgiving with the Browns 11 '10

We were blessed to be able to share Thanksgiving weekend with Bruce' daughter. Laura  and his son in law, Kenyatta Brown,  and  with our grand daughters , Delaney, and Macie, from New Jersey.

 It is a long trip so the first evening was spent  in quiet time activities like coloring.

 

My goodness  they are so prolific.  I almost ran out of paper before I ran out of wall space.

The weather was splendid do a trip to the Pawleys Island Beach seemed in order.  Below is what they were dressing like when they left home

Needless to say the girls 

 were really enjoying the fine weather

and worked gleefully  together

on building a sand castle covered in shells

Kenyatta and Niela seemd to be enjoying catching a few rays as well

All too soon it was time to hug everyone and bid them a  safe trip home.

We'll miss you guys.

Happy Thanksgiving 11 '10

Happy Thanksgiving,  Everyone

 From our home to you and yours

Mixed feelings about selling art 11 '10

Island Art sold one of my paintings of the Hobcaw Barony Watchtower yesterday.  I always have mixed feeling about parting with a painting.  They are like children.  I want and expect them to  leave me, and to  find a home of their own, but when they do, I feel sad, and hope they are somewhere they are loved.

SAG Fundraiser Continues 11 '10

You may remember this painting from an October  post as one of the paintings I donated to the Sea Coast Artist Guild's Holiday Fundraiser.

I also donated this little 4"x6"  oil (above)

Below are some of the paintings donated by other members. 

Funds from the sale of these painting will be used to purchase art supplies for our local schools art classes.

My New Teapot 11 '10

Laura Ross Tea Pot

I wasn't planning to purchase any souvenirs on my visit to the Blue Ridge Mountains, but then I found this little tea pot by Kentucky artist Laura Ross.  I ask you, how often do you find something you would really enjoy using every single day?  Bruce couldn't resist. He insisted upon buying it for me as a birthday gift.

Painting on my birthday 11/20/10

For my birthday, I treated myself to a mini-workshop (5 hours) sponsored by the Sea Coast Artist Guild on the Grisaille, or Old Master's technique of painting .

 Our instructor, Jolyn Kuhn provided us with several different still life set ups I chose the one below.

The idea was to first sketch out the still life  in burnt umber, then refine it further into a fully developed value study.

 

 The idea was to first sketch out the still life  in burnt umber, then refine it further into a fully developed value study.

 

By using  thin layers of oil paint (thinned with turpenoid not oil) one can achieve a very finely finished painting.

Over lunch we let the paintings dry, then sprayed them with Damar Retouch Varnish.

Once this dried we were ready to start applying thin layers of color over the value study. 

Unfortunately, for most of us, our value studies did not dry in time to do this step.  Never the less we did learn enough to use the technique at home.