Saturday on the Square:) Art Fair at the Heard-Craig Center

“Sharing your art with the world isn’t always easy, but making art just for the pure joy is good for your soul.”

~Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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Wow! It sure was a gorgeous Saturday to be walking around on the Square in McKinney. My good friend and fabulous artist, Sherri Murphy, was going to be at the Heard-Craig Center for the Arts today, displaying her adorable artwork. The courtyard was filled with local artists and visitors.

We sat in the shade and visited for about an hour, as folks meandered by.

Look at her cute paintings. She has such fun with color and whimsical styles.

I ran to my old friend Paula. We used to play tennis together, back in the day. She was, and still is an awesome tennis player, and she creates the most amazing jewelry for local sports teams, college teams and sports themes.
MY TEAM JEWELRY. Check it out on Amazon.

Miss Darby had some cool paintings, but also her own local honey. I had to get a jar. I love local honey called SUNKEN BOOT HONEY. Just had some in my tea. Yum!

Miss Janis had some fun little paintings. Cute!

On my way home, I actually remembered to stop by St. Peter’s to drop off the event bowls that my senior art friends at Towne Creek made a few weeks back. I was down there a couple of times before, and plum forgot to drop them off. 🤦‍♀️

And last but not least, I stopped over at Station 9 to drop off a dozen of my awesome triple lemon cupcakes. Yum!

Before and after! I dropped off more cupcakes today and picked up two empty containers from previous visits.

Funny story… one time, a few years back, I was dropping off some brownies and a brand spanking new fire fighter answered the door. I asked if he could find some previous empty containers. He wasn’t sure. He came back with the Captain and a couple containers. The Captain said, “This is Miss Toni. Make sure you save her containers. It’s in the handbook!” I laughed, but who knows? It might be in the handbook now. 🤦‍♀️

It’s been a great Saturday so far. Now, for a nice walk to finish up the day. I hope you had a great day, too. 🤗

Friday: Farewell to a Special Friend

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. ~Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan, Annie
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Day 2 of my humility challenge which reminds me to share and encourage others. Therefore, I’d like to tell you a little bit about a wonderful woman who has been such a vital part of making McKinney the best city in the country to live.

This morning, there was a farewell reception for Barbara Johnson, who has been the executive director of the Heard-Craig Center for the Arts for the past fifteen years. Many friends, dignitaries and local residents packed the Heard-Craig Carriage house to say goodbye and good luck to a lovely lady who shared a wealth of knowledge and endless time with McKinney residents and visitors. Barbara is retiring and she and her husband are moving to Colorado.

The first time I met Barbara, several years ago, she gave me a personal tour of the Heard-Craig House. By the time I left, I felt that I knew everything about the house, the family, and the rich history of McKinney. But, I also felt like I made a new friend. That is a special gift. Over the years, Barbara Johnson has been a great friend to the city of McKinney and all who have had the pleasure of meeting her.

Mayor Brian Loughmiller was honored to present Barbara Johnson with a special award from the city and wish his friend the best of luck.

Thank you Miss Barbara. We love you and are going to miss you so much. Bless you and best wishes!

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. ~Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan, Annie