STILL KICKIN'

To say life has been busy seems like the understatement of the year!

I have been posting on my other blog and found this one a bit of a challenge to get to.

Spring break is in session and we have been running around town shopping and playing with friends and such...
the kids have NOT been sleeping in! one day I know I will begging them all to get out of bed before 1pm, but right now, I'd just enjoy 9am!

Oh well, all's well that end's well.....

Life is moving along.
Mom and Dad have moved in and the Anderson's are all about changing up some things left, right, up and down.

who loves a good writer

I was stumped the other day.
I wanted to start a new portrait, but I wanted to find a subject that I didn't know but admired.  I fumbled around the net typing up names that came to mind.  I have been so influenced by so many interesting people in so many parts of the human experience it as hard to pick.
Try picking the perfect cherry on a cherry tree.  There are too many.  Some not so good, but the more you look the more you find.

I have always loved words.  I have not always been a reader, not until I hit my twenties.  I started working at a local used bookstore and taking literature classes at the University of Tn and got hooked.  I was in.  I loved anyone who loved words.  I loved ready the classics and loved studying the greats.

Hawthorn.
Whitman.
Dickens.
Fitzgerald.
Bronte.
Alcott.
Steinbeck.
Twain.
Faulkner.
Thoreau.
Emerson.


You love them all.  You love them for different reasons.  The world won't, couldn't be the same without them.

I started my search with all above and I chose to draw Steinbeck.  Everyone has heard of all his great works....Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row, East of Eden, but there is a very special small, less than 200 pages, book called Travels with Charlie, that I went crazy for will travel around the northern coast of California.  It is worth ready and then some!  I often think it is as much a classic as all the "famous" ones.  If you love dogs and you love feeling free, you should READ this book!

Thanks Steinbeck!   You are someone worth reading and worth trying to draw on paper!
This is a first draft.  I have a plan!

today at 8pm

I realized by several inquires that I posted the pictures of a beautiful cake and didn't mention who made it.

THE CAKE MAKER--MATT ANDERSON.

I was posting to show his parents and didn't think others would see it.

It was as delicious as it looks!

As far as other news, we the Anderson's are hanging around in 70 degree weather in Feb. here in East TN.
Lovin' it.
It's different when it's not LA.  I remember in LA sitting on my balcony in Hollywood wondering if the sun would EVER go down.
It was 82 at Christmas.  I get it, but it's not for me.  I like the up's and down's of weather on the east coast. It keeps me guessing and feeling alive.
I feel a nice breeze right now coming through my studio windows...thunderstorms are possible...who know's what tomorrow will bring.  Spring is coming, but I bet everyone a dime in a hat basket that winter isn't over just yet.

For the Toads

latest from Open Life Studio :-)

love the cake maker and miss open

Charlotte's Webb

Am I living in a pigsty?

Today I looked around the house and just about cracked when I realized we had only one more day until 

Matt went off to Miami for four days and I am here with three kids, four neighborhood kids, and moving 

parents.

All I see are hampers full of clothes, clean and dirty. 

I see dirty dishes in the sink, toys in the yard, shoes on the trampoline and this

in the down stairs sink.

 I couldn't help but laugh and decided to just take all this in stride. 

 My heart told me that going with the flow, dirty house and all is much more blissful than throwing a "stay at home mom" tanturm about how much shit I have to clean and how it's not fair!

I'd like to say those days are over, surely not. 

 I am however getting to the place in my life that is A.O.K. with disarray.

It tells me one thing, and that one thing is more important than a clean magizine picture perfect house--

our kids are full of life and they are having FUN.

LIFE IS SHORT

PLAY 

HARD

Up Date Mission March 1st Move In

HI to all

Here are some pictures of the floor going in at the new house for Mom and Dad.

The kids have named it The Swan Dragon House.

Just a reminder check out my other blog at openlifestudio.wordpress.com

Happy rest of Wednesday!

guest room

Cyn's room

Master Bedroom

I am posting right now on two blogs.
I have decided to switch over to Wordpress.com.
I will keep posting here as well for family and friend and for the shear fact that I have over 350 post and don't want to leave them.  That would be like leaving a friend.
SO....
please check out my other blog. under "openlifestudio"
 I am trying to post more about my studio work.  I love sending to family and friends and have never really tried to get anyone else to follow. But I thought, "hey, it may be good for business" LOL

Here is the CAKE MAN'S latest MASTERPIECE.

He was gracious enough to make it for the store, Goode Scents, where Cindy and I sell our work.  We rent out space there and have only been there for three weeks.  They were celebrating their year anniversary and couldn't say ENOUGH about how AWESOME this cake was!
Maybe he will get some calls!

Enjoy!

I mean REALLY!

Could it be anymore beautiful!