Empty Bowls McKinney-2022

“If you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

~Mother Teresa

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The Annual Empty Bowls McKinney feeds a lot more than a hundred people. The donations provide funding for Community Lifeline Center and the Community Garden Kitchen. This year’s turnout was amazing. I can’t wait to hear how much money was raised.

From its humble beginnings in the community room at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, the event has exploded into a county wide gala at the McKinney Performance Art enter on the Square.

Bowls, bowls, everywhere bowls. These were just a few of the Event bowls offered. Everyone who purchased a ticket got to pick out a bowl. But, extra bowls could be purchased for $20. A lot of folks were buying four or five extra for gifts. Every $5 provides a meal for someone in need.

Helene, Sid, and I had a lot of fun. The soups and desserts were great and the band was cool!

We ran into a lot of friends and awesome artists.

Jerry and Patricia didn’t win the high bid on my bowl, but they had a good time supporting Empty Bowls.

And the event wouldn’t be complete without a Murphy sighting. ❤️❤️

What an awesome day!

Thankful Thursday:) Talk About a Great Day With a great Friend!

“Spending time with an old friend is as precious as gold.”

~Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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I got a text from my old friend Mandy Griffith yesterday saying that she was in town just for a couple of days and wondered if I was free today. Well, of course! She and her husband drove all the way from California and they were traveling cross country visiting friends and family, and I was on the list. I was honored.

We met at The Pantry in downtown McKinney. We had a nice lunch and did a little catching up on what’s been happening since last we met. A lot to talk about.

After lunch, we planned on walking around the square. It was a beautiful afternoon with sunshine and perfect weather. Our first stop was Fair and Square Imports right across the street. Miss Kate was more than helpful. The store is brimming with fabulous merchandise, perfect for the unusual gift or home decor.

We did a lot of walking and a lot of talking and a lot of photo ops.

Another fun stop was the Collin County History Museum.

We popped into The LAST Art Gallery. So many awesome artists are a part of this artist coop gallery, and I am blessed to call many of them friend.

We stopped for a coffee before Mandy had to head back to Arlington to pick up her husband. Four hours later, a little rest, sipping coffee from the Bike Shop, we still didn’t have enough time. It went by too fast. Thanks for the fun visit Mandy!

I stopped at the store on my way home to pick up last minute goodies for my art class at Towne Creek Apartments tomorrow. I made a couple other stops, but when I got home, I still felt compelled to get out for my evening walk. It was just too nice of a day not to enjoy. More steps.

A lot of steps, but Mike’s to go before I rest. Now to make massive quantities of triple lemon cupcakes for our feast for folks at Towne Creek tomorrow. I’ll be up all night, that’s for sure. I still haven’t planned the art projects yet either. 🤦‍♀️ Procrastination is my middle name… it should be my first. ❤️

A very Thankful Thursday!

Friday:) Friends, Fun on the Square, and My Firemen

“Just when you’re all excited about going to The Pantry Restaurant on the Square, getting chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, and a side of fried okra, you realize it’s Lent, it’s Friday and you’re Catholic.” Bummer

~Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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Today was a fun Friday. I met my old friend Linda for lunch at the Pantry. Then, I remembered it was Lent. Bummer. But, I did get a double order of fried okra, and I had the chance to visit and catch up with Linda.

I love fried okra. I never had it until I moved to Texas. Good stuff.

We enjoyed our three hour lunch, and walked around the Square a bit.

There was a cool mural over by the CASA building. It beckoned for a photo op. The ladder looks so real.

More fun murals.

After our stroll, I was headed over to the St. Peter’s Church Office to see if I could drop of my bowl donations for Empty Bowls. I plugged in the address into my GPS because I wasn’t sure where Foote Street was. When I I parked in the empty lot, I remembered that Minda said the office closed at noon on Friday. Oops!

So, here’s the funny part. I thought, hmmm? Maybe I’ll take my chances and see if anyone is over at SPARC, the ceramic art studio that is somewhere near St. Peter’s. Maybe I could drop my bowls off there. I plugged the address into my GPS and it said 1 minute walk. Hmm? Must be close. I clicked on start for directions when I noticed the studio was just on the other side of the parking lot where I was, right behind a row of bushes. Boy, did I feel foolish. I am not directionally challenged. I’m just in a different time dimension for this planet Called earth. 🤦‍♀️

Both Minda and Alex Macias were there, and I was able to drop off my donations. I also got a chance to see a bunch of the other artist bowls created by other local artists. Wow! This year is going to be an amazing event. I didn’t take pictures so as not to spoil the surprise. There will be an artist preview event next Saturday. I’ll share some photos then. I’m excited!

Well, to finish my Friday with more alliteration, I dropped off some of my “bad ass brownies” for my firefighter friends at Station 9 the other day.

Happy Friday, my friends.

Wednesday:) What’s Happenin’ On The Square

“There is something special when creative people get together.”

Joy Mangano

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Well, it was a fine day to head over to the Square to visit Kim Guthrie at her art studio. I was the lucky winner of one of her Move it Out Monday Auctions, and I hadn’t been over that way in a while. I texted her to see if she’d be working at her studio today, and lucky for me, she was.

I always like to sneak a photo from outside her window before she realizes that I’m making funny faces at her as she works.

Like the old song, “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?” lol at that adorable doggie. Kim does a lot of commission work, especially of family pets, historic homes and buildings, families, and funky animals. (Like my giraffe tea towel that I won in the auction.)

Aw, look at my cute tea towel, front and back. I love the quote.

Such a talented lady, and her studio is always bursting with bold colors and whimsical artwork.

You can check out her website at http://www.kimguthrieart.com or visit her studio at 115 W. Virginia on the lovely downtown McKinney Square.

Thanks for a fun visit Kimmie! ❤️🤗👩🏻‍🎨

Saturday on the Square:) Can You Dig It? Diggin’ It Rocks!

“To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business, and your business in your heart.”

—Thomas Watson Sr.

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This morning, I had the pleasure of meeting a couple of awesome talented friends. Theresa Johnston invited Blynda Christian and me to her charming home just north of the Square for a brainstorming meeting about the upcoming Dia de Los Muertos Celebration in October. These two ladies have so much community events planning and volunteer background, so I was honored that they invited me to join them.

Theresa lives right across the street from this adorable gift shop called DIGGIN’ IT, and is also good friends with the owner, Tracey Collins. We stopped over to check out the really cool Dia de Los Muertos gifts and home decor, along with beautiful handcrafted jewelry, paintings, and gifts. The outside is teeming with cool yard art , plants and flowers.

Stop by if you’re in McKinney. 507 N Tennessee St. 469-953-3446

http://thedigginitshop.com/

Look at this cool bad ass bandolera. Yah, the one made of metal, not me.

Cute couple. Perhaps they overdid the Keto diet thing.

So many cute gifts. I loved the real pressed flower notecards and jewelry created by local artists.

If you haven’t stopped in, I hope you have a chance to visit DIGGIN’ IT on Tennessee just north of the Square.

Thank you, Tracey Collins, for the visit and great conversation. See you soon.

Saturday on the Square:) 4th of July Parade

“If you’re not in the parade, you watch the parade. That’s life.”

Mike Ditka

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A fantastic perfect day for a small town parade on the Square with a couple of great girlfriends. Happy almost 4th of July, my friends!

Helene, Sherri, and yours truly.

A picture’s worth a thousand words, so a lot of pictures says volumes.

HAPPY ALMOST 4TH OF JULY!!!!🇺🇸

McKINNEY………MY KIND OF TOWN.

Friday:) Friends Around Town

“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.”

― Jane Austen

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It was a good fun week. Wow! It’s Friday already. Where did the week go? Tuesday, Helene and I got to visit a couple of friends at Towne Creek when we dropped off supplies for the seniors to make some holiday cards. Then, we went over to Holy Family School with a trunk load of snacks and beverages for the children. Miss Sondra and the staff are always delighted to see us.

After dropping off our donations, we stopped on the Square for lunch. The Pantry has the greatest chicken friend chicken and fried okra.

We walked around the square for a little while, and stopped over at LAST Gallery, then around the corner to see Kim Guthrie at her studio. She creates the cutest funkiest artwork. And a visit to the Square would not be complete without posing in front of Andrea Holmes’ awesome mural on the side of Fair and Square Imports.

I’ve got the greatest artistic friends. I’ve been catching up with old friends via telephone all week too. (Well, they aren’t that old. Oh yah! They are my age, so they’re old.) Yesterday, my neighbor Allison called, asking if I was home. She had a gift for me. She knows I collect Crosses and Crucifixes. Isn’t this cool!

Well, that’s what I’ve been up to. Guess what time it is? Yep! Black Russian Friday, my friends. CHEERS!

Saturday:) Some Awesome Artists and Poets and Writers Around McKinney

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.”

― Leonardo da Vinci

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That Leonardo guy was pretty savvy. Poetry and painting go hand in hand. Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of being invited to a special after hours Blue Moon Viewing and expressive painting soirée at The Cove in downtown McKinney. My fabulous artist friend, Anne Royer , thought I’d enjoy participating in the Japanese painting and impromptu poetry gathering. Oh yah! Right up my alley. I was honored.

The Cove was featuring the artwork of Anne Royer, KD Hafley, and Wayne Batchelder. Annie and KD are fabulous artists and Wayne is an amazing potter. The exhibit was called “Under the Full Moon.”

After the show closed on Halloween evening, Miss Annie brought Japanese papers, inks, brushes, pens, tools, teas and sake for the guests to participate in creating inspirational creations and verse.

Miss Annie, doing her thing with gold ink.

Lynne Hubner’s inspirations.

Here are the works that I was inspired to create. The other artists shared their creations and poetry, and we all wandered out from time to time to see the glorious Blue Moon masterpiece that lingered in the eerie evening sky. A beautiful artistic evening in downtown McKinney.

Look at that moon. That was SO cool. There even appeared to be a blue streak whispering through the clouds that night.

Wednesday:) Well, What’s Been Happenin’ On The Square?

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

― W.B. Yeats

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Magic and beauty and amazing adventures are happening all around us, right before our own eyes, in our own home town. All we have to do is open our eyes. Voila! There it is.

Yesterday was a very awesome day. I got up early for a long walk and to walk the dog. Then, Helene and I made plans to scoot over to Holy Family School to take our donations of snacks and goodies for the little ones. Miss Sondra and the staff are always so appreciative of our little donations and our visits.

The construction for the Community Kitchen and Garden behind the school is coming along. It will be so nice for the community to have fresh home grown vegetables and meals available to them. Cool!

After our visit, we wandered over to the Square for lunch at The Pantry. Oh my goodness. I always get the chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes/gravy and fried okra. SO much food. We always have leftovers.

Of course, I needed a phot op in front of the mural painted by our friend, Andrea Holmes, on the side of Fair and Square Imports across the street.

Then, off we went to visit Kim Guthrie at her studio on Virginia. She’s always busy at work by her window. Perfect for a photo op and a visit. Her awesome whimsical style has captured the hearts of all of McKinney and beyond.

Another artistic stop at The Last Gallery on Louisiana. We were greeted by another artist friend, Leslee Ortega. Leslee has a brilliant eye for color and composition, and has also mastered the art of painting with coffee. (Yep…coffee. It’s a blast. I love it too.) The gallery has become a fantastic artist co-op that features the finest artists in North Texas. (Most of them are friends of mine, so I’m a little biased.)

It was a great busy day, and what better way to end my day than a nice walk at dusk to capture one of God’s greatest works of art. The evening sunset. (I really need to paint some of these scenes. But, I have SO many. Where do I start?)

Have a great day, my friends.

Friday:) The Fabulous Kim Guthrie Art

“There are no rules. That is how art is born, how breakthroughs happen. Go against the rules or ignore the rules. That is what invention is about.” –

~Helen Frankenthaler

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My good friend and fabulous artist, Kim Guthrie, had a one day art show at The Cove in downtown McKinney this evening. Sherri Murphy and I went down to see her wonderful work. Kim had a unique colorful and playful style that evokes smiles and joy. Her love of art is as bountiful as her talent. She is also fun and funky and silly. Here she is donning her mask with a faux $100 bill to reflect her fun philosophy of “Put your money where your mouth is.”

There were so many amazing works to see. She had a “smiley face” side theme going on for this show. There’s always a creative whimsical style in her work.

That’s Kim under the Big Bad Wolf mask. She’s so cute.

This gentleman was walking home from The Cove with an original rendering of his beautiful cottage home just down the street in the Historic District of McKinney. Sherri beeped her horn as we drove by, noticing that he was taking a selfie of himself with his new acquisition. We wanted a photo too. He was so proud. I’m sure it will find a place of honor right away.

Kim Guthrie has an adorable little studio right in the square where she can be found most days painting and visiting with friends, neighbors and visitors.

Check out her website… https://www.kimguthrieart.com/

Oh yes, HAPPY BLACK RUSSIAN FRIDAY, my friends.