Thursday:) This Is My Little Town~ McKinney

“I live in my own little world. But its ok, they know me here.” ― Lauren Myrac

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This morning was the first Art Club of McKinney meeting  after our summer break. I love the August meeting because it’s Show and Tell day. Each member or guest introduces themselves, tells what art mediums they use, and brings some examples to talk about. A few of my favorite artist friends…

After our meeting, a large contingent from the meeting went over to The Pantry Restaurant    On the square.for more food and socializing. There’s always a little shopping on the way back to your car.

I always stop at the Visitor’s Center to say hello to Miss Beth. She’s such a sweetie and always has her finger on the pulse of McKinney. If Miss Beth doesn’t know about it…it ain’t happenin’.

This is not a natural stance. I make her pose this way…my open arms request. It’s an inside joke. 

My good friends at Sweet Spot Bakery are always baking up something sweet and special. 

It’s difficult for me to resist a quick stop at the Samaritan Inn Thrift Store on my way home. I generally find several treasures. A beautiful hand painted ceramic plate, two pale pastel purple wine glasses to paint, and a lovely glass candy dish. (My buddy, Miss Bella, looking on in admiration of my bargain hunting skills.)

I stopped to visit my neighbor, Diane, before rounding the corner home. My good friend, Karen, stopped by this evening to drop off her little fishy, Baby. I’m fishy sitting for her for a couple of days. I am the “Pet Whisperer” of McKinney. Dogs, cats, now fish. I’m amazing!

So many friends, so many things to do, this is my little town. I love it here!

“I live in my own little world. But its ok, they know me here.” 

― Lauren Myrac

Oh yes, it was pretty hot here today. It’s Texas…it’s summer…it’s hotter than 

H-E- double hockey sticks.

Tuesday:) Tea and Tour at Chestnut Square

“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated yo the ceremony of tea.”

~ Henry James

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A wonderful tea, your and fashion show at historic Chestnut Square in downtown McKinney. Thank you for the invitation, Sherri Murphy! 

  
  
Some good friends and new friends. 

  
Our hostess Sherri and our tour guide John. 

   
    
  

We were schooled in many things today. An interesting and fun afternoon.  

Montage Monday:) A Week in a Peek

“You have no idea what joy is until you see it reflected in the eyes of another.”

~ Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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“They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” ― Tom Bodett

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What a busy week filled with activities, friendship, and joy. I love it! Lunches and brunches and bunches of hunches. I’m not sure about the hunches, but it rhymed. The highlight of my week was the Krewe of Barkus Mardi Gras dog parade yesterday on the square, and having the honor of being one of the three judges. Downtown McKinney was teeming with visitors, dogs and owners dressed in costumes throwing candy or beads into the crowd, hundreds of people lined the streets to watch. A fun afternoon.

  
Isn’t that a great quote? So true.

  

Saturday:) Somemore Painting and Silly Friends

“Silly is always good, but silly  with friends is mandatory.”

~ Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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“It’s okay to be absurd, ridiculous, and downright irrational at times; silliness is sweet syrup that helps us swallow the bitter pills of life.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich

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Yesterday, I painted with my senior artist friends, and today, I taught a wine glass painting glass at Lone Star Wine Cellars on the Square. It was a group of nine girlfriends, out for the day and evening. They came in rowdy and giggling, and they just louder and sillier as the evening progressed. At one point, I had to use my loud school teacher whistle to get their attention. It was a fun night, and the energy was contagious. 

   
   
The ladies had a good time. The noise level was off the charts. At one point they asked if they were the loudest group that I ever had. I told them that they were not the loudest, but they were the “funnest.” They had dinner reservations at 6:30, so they left their glasses so they could finish drying and came back later to pick them up. 

   
 
  

Spectacular Saturday

I want every day to be a fresh start on expanding what is possible.
~Oprah Winfrey.
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It was a very long day. I’m talking mikes long. It started out when I picked up Matt from the airport. His flight was delayed, then road construction, we didn’t get hone till almost 1 am. I stayed up packing more boxes till almost 5. Then up at 7:15 to wait for the movers.

I will summarize…they were amazing.

Matt was up early unhooking tv’s and pacing more boxes. Matt was amazing!

Lynne, Karen and Linda Grossman each stopped by for a visit. Can you say girlfriends? They came to wish me well and brighten my spirits.

I have the bestest friends in the world. Lynne brought pizzas and Linda brought my favorite beverage. Matt and I enjoyed the pizza, and I christened “the goose. ‘

Matt and I stopped back at the old house to pick up some things. Look what was waiting for me on the bathroom counter.

I am so exhausted now. that I’ve actually nodded off several times while writing this. Time to finish my drink and get to bed. Tomorrow I will get up early to go to church and thank God for HISang blessings. Miles to go before I rest
Bye! See y ‘a ll later.

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Saturday: Sit Back and Do Something Special

“I think people who are creative are the luckiest people on earth. I know that there are no shortcuts, but you must keep your faith in something Greater than You, and keep doing what you love. Do what you love, and you will find the way to get it out to the world.”

Judy Collins
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Another whirlwind of a day. I got up early and walked about three miles, then went to Saturday Zumba at 9:30-10:30. I didn’t have my usual writing group, so Zumba was a special treat. Then, scramble home, shower, straighten the house for a showing, and get out the door by 11 am. Can you say, “Run around like a mad woman?”

I decided to hang out on the Square, have my yummy yogurt parfait at Snug, visit Dana and Judy at Art on the Veranda, and then paint champagne flutes at Sweet Spot and visit with my buddies there.

Painting glassware is one of my favorite creative pastimes. It is so gratifying to take a plain ol’ glass item and turn it into a work of art. I haven’t painted in so long, mostly because I don’t want to make a mess in the house, but really, I just haven’t been motivated. I’ve been wanting to work on a project for a special gift, and I knew that I could grab my paints and go over to Sweet Spot Bakery, and just hang out and paint. (It’s great to have friends everywhere.)

I sat by the front window, painted champagne flutes, chatted with friends, and watched people walk by.

A few hours later, here is the beautiful finished product. Now, do you see why this is so much fun? I’ve painted hundreds, if not thousands of items. I’ve taught many, many people how to paint wine glasses, vases, ornaments, etc., when they thought they couldn’t. (I’m just a darn good teacher.)

(Close up)
Yes, I think creative people are the luckiest people on earth. I’m going to keep doing what I love and find a way to get it out to the world. Art on the Veranda has dozens of my painted glassware items for sale in their shop. They display work of many local artists, and offer many fun jewelry, painting, and creative classes, including my wine glass painting workshop. Somewhere down the line, after I get my act together, I’d like to offer some in-home painting parties. I think it would be fun to have a bunch of girlfriends over, drink wine, eat snacks, and learn to paint your very own wine glasses. . “I’d like to teach the world to paint, in perfect harmony…” You knew there’d be a song in there somewhere, didn’t ya?

Montage Monday

“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like “What about lunch?”
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
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Or easy words like “What about dinner?” Any words involving food, friends, or fun are good words. Another week flew by. A week in a peek.

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

In good times, your friends get to know who you are. In bad times, you get to know who your friends are.
Xuan Ta
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It’s always wonderful to get together with friends, and I happen to be blessed with soooo many fantastic, fun, creative, and caring friends. Today, a few of us got together for lunch and then went back to Lynne’s house to do some glass painting. Creating and painting beautiful things is very therapeutic. Well, I’ll let the pictures tell the story.

Sherry and Lynne had fun playing with glass paint.

Sherry’s masterpieces.

Lynne’s cute classic daisies.

Everything’s coming up roses when I paint. Very fun afternoon, lunch with Karen, Terry, Sherry and Lynne, then painting with Sherry and Lynne.Thanks girls. You turned a tough day into a great day.

Montage Monday: Friends, Fun and Feathers

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
― Ansel Adams
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This week was filled with meeting friends, finding feathers and lucky coins, and taking fun photos. A week in a peek.

Sunday: Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs

Beyond the edge of the world there’s a space where emptiness and substance neatly overlap, where past and future form a continuous, endless loop. And, hovering about, there are signs no one has ever read, chords no one has ever heard.
~Haruki Murakami
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We were suppose to have bad weather today, storms, possible tornadoes, but it never hit us. When I scurried into church for 9o’clock Mass, it started to drizzle. Five minutes later, the congregation all looked up to the skylights when the thunder boomed and the rain pelted the roof. Uh oh! The good news is, by the time Mass was over, the rain had stopped. Good timing. A good sign.

When I got home, my friend Karen called, and invited me to join her for breakfast at Snug. Was it going to storm? It didn’t matter, we went anyway, and an hour later, the sun came out. Another good sign.

I stopped at the store after breakfast, and my friend Lynne called and asked if I wanted to go for a walk. Well, duh! I went home, put on my shoes, drove over to her house and we went for a long walk. Then, we sat and chatted on her beautiful back patio for quite a while. My friends have been calling just when I seem to need a friendly diversion. Look at these cool shadows on her back screen. Signs.

When I got home, I still had a lot of energy in reserve, so I went for another walk in my neighborhood. An adorable bunny ran past me and just stopped totally still, allowing me to take his picture.

I wonder what that sign was?

Saving the best for last, on the final leg of my walk, I looked down, and found a lucky dime in the street. Ten times better than a lucky penny! Lots of signs on a stormy turned sunny Sunday.