Reconnecting - I'm BACK baby!

Wow - I can't believe it's been a year since I got serious about my blog. I can't believe it's been 4 months since my last post (4 months ago I had my second shoulder surgery). What I really can't believe is my bad luck in falling down and breaking my arm (the very same arm that was operated on) on my first day back at work. Now that I can wiggle my fingers and turn my arm over to type, the writing begins.

First up - I meant to post this a looooong time ago, but it was during the dark months after my last surgery when in a narcotic/muscle relaxer haze. Anyway, my very good friend Jessica is an amazing photographer. She did her first bog giveaway for a free photo shoot if you were in the Seattle area. Stop by her blog to see her beautiful photographs, and stay tuned, in case she gives another shoot away! You can find her blog here
http://jldimagery.com/

Second up - I've decided to work on my networking with other artists more. I first started blogging to document not only the crazy life I lead, but also to connect with other artists. My dear friend Elizabeth Gonzales is having her second blog giveaway. I was fortunate to have won a print in her very first blog giveaway one year ago! I still treasure it to this day, and it sits prominently in my art studio. You can visit Elizabeth's blog here
http://elizabethglz.com/blog/2011/04/unexpected-gifts-and-a-celebration-giveaway/

I apologize - I'm still not savvy enough to know how to do the short link. I'm adding it to my things to learn to do this summer list!

Third up - I'm taking two art classes online at the moment with Julie Prichard - Mixed Media Melange and Pixels and Paint. Side Note - Thankfully I'm left handed (and I only seem to injure my right arm), so I can continue to draw and paint from time to time!
The class promo videos are here
http://www.julieprichard.com/mixed-media-workshops/

I really love her online workshops for several reasons. First, I love the ideas and inspiration I get from taking her work shops. Her videos have so much information (and you get so many during the class) that I often go back and watch them a couple of times to get all the info down. The techniques are always new, and she is not afraid to show her mistakes on camera - which I greatly admire. SO, if you are in need of inspiration and new techniques, stop by and look! You won't be disappointed!

I promise to post pics of work I've done soon - when they are finished this week!

Last but not least, I started a separate Conversations with Mackenzie blog which you can view here
www.conversationswithmackenzie.blogspot.com

She's turned the big 05 now, and has the att-ti-tude to match. While I'm catching up on that blog too, I'll be dual posting. So here's her latest convo in a string of posts I like to call "Nice Mouth Mackenzie!". At the rate she is developing her more "colorful" vocabulary, I'm going to have to rename the string "You kiss your mother with that mouth?" or "Conversation's that embarrassed a sailor".

Last weekend my in-laws came up to our house for dinner. The boys (Papa (Grandpa), Hubs, and my son) went out to the driving range for golf while we girls worked on a Mother's Day photo collage. When the boys returned home from their outing, we girls (I was in a sling so really it was my M.O.M doing the work while we watched) were out trimming the cherry tree.

Papa climbed out of the car, and spotting Mackenzie asked "Whatcha doing Bits?"
Mackenzie "Oh nuthin'. Just screwing around"
Me (mouthing to my Father In Law with my eyes wide open in shock) Oh my gosh! I cannot believe she SAID THAT!

Then I remembered, that in a moment of frustration a few days before, when both kids were deliriously tired and over the top silly, not listening to my gentle "please get into bed" requests, I said "You two need to stop screwing around and get into bed!". Yep, that's right - it was ME - AGAIN - teaching her new colorful words. Geez!!!!