This is who I am and what I do...well some of it. Ok, a lot!

This is what I am about most of the time. I am an artist - there, I said it, but spend an enormous amount of time working with www.brostl.org. And I love it. I've decided it's not unlike what Bernie Berlin does with her Place to BArk. And I should just unabashedly promote it. Yep unabashedly is the word. Now there are a few differences. She has been in magazines and has published books. I have been in magazines.....I HAVE!

I work with this group most Mondays. Wednesdays, and Fridays. I shop for toys at bargain prices, write grants, maintain a website, maintain a blog, pack toys, schmooze with donors. Yesterday I shopped 2 Michael's stores and bought all of the Art Kits they had on sale for $2.99. Hit the TJ Max, where they had the cutesy school kits ( you know cool folder, pencil case, pencils, notepad, etc) for $3.00 ( got all of them too). Stopped in the Kohls, but no bargains that day...usually I get a few deals. Hit the local Wal-mart Super Center, which, surprisingly is not the best place to buy bargain toys, but I needed some sweatshirts and a backpack, a sports poster and, yes, rap CDs. I did find a few things, but better toy deals are found at Big Lots and Tuesday Mornings.

Here is the latest post on the BRO blog I maintain
http://bro-saintlouis.blogspot.com/ our new one...

Since I shopped Tuesday, packed toys today, I'm going to reserve Thursday for art projects. But first I have to go pick up an exercise ball that I located on FREE CYCLE.( For our Gateway Wheeler School clients.) Friday is back to the BRO, I have way to much stuff to get packed away. Saturday evening I am selling Macy's Shop For A Cause tickets. With our proceeds from the evening going to...you guessed it....BRO-St.Louis.


The Gateway-Wheeler State School for the Severely Handicapped is one of the agencies we are honored to serve. They are located in the City of St. Louis ( 63103) We will be providing toys for 87 children. The children range in age from 6 - 20 years, and have a mental age range of 3 months - 8 years of age. There are boys and girls and many of the children are in wheelchairs.

In the past we have provided toys based on gender, age and mental age. Guessing at what would be appropriate. This year we have asked the staff for a "wish list" of items that were needed by the children, or that would be most appropriate for the children. We are doing our best to try to fill their requests within the limits of our financial capabilities. Would you like to help out?


Here are some of the things we need.

• Children's Music CDs
• Baseball hats
• Children's story books on tape/cd
• Play musical instruments - piano key board, tambourine, drums
• Portable CD players/Radios ( 5 0r 6 of these would be nice)
• Edmark Reading CDs ( K - 3)
• Rap CDs ( Nelly, Alecia Keys)
• Large See and Say toys ( animals, rhymes)
• Tyler Perry Movies
• Woman's Ring size 9 -10
• Portable/ hand held electronic games
• Exercise Ball - large
• bubble machine
• wagon ( for 8 year old girl, mental age under 1 year)
• Digital watch ( 17 year old - mental age 8 years)
• Comedy DVDs
• Race car game ( 19 year old - mental age 8 years)
• Posters of sports heroes
• Scooter board

If you are able to help us out you can email us at office@brostl.org or call 314-865-1677 or send a check to BRO 4262 Cleveland Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110 and tell us what you would like us to use if for. If you are interested in donating thru PAYPAL contact us thru the email address above for our account name.

Our toy distribution begins Monday, December 1 , 2008. We anticipate serving 3,200 + children this year. Keep us in mind if you are cleaning out the kids closets! We'll take those gently used toys and books!

SO, folks, that's what I do with my time. Tomorrow, after the exercise ball pick up....it's time for ART, of course I must walk the doggies first!

ARCHRIVAL ROLLER GIRLS - LIVE

It was a fun night at roller derby Saturday. Have you ever been? One of the women at my church plays in this roller derby league. Very cool. Our adult fellowship group, wandered out for a new adventure. I was impressed by their abilities and strength! Not sure I would give it a try today. My mother would have said it was a "hip waiting to be broken". Maybe at 35 I would have. I broke my ankle playing volley ball when I was 44, so I'm not sure this would be a good sport to start now. But it was certainly FUN to watch and try to shoot some photos, I had a front row, floor seat, great for shooting the action and even got a few shots of our wild woman, Cami, a/k/a MIDWIFE CRISIS. She's the greatest! Check out her DH cheering her on!



http://www.archrivalrollergirls.com/

Be A Constitution Voter

It's hard not to be "a Constitution Voter". I taught American Government and United States History for 25 years, in public school. Think about the rights and responsibilities of citizens and then vote! Vote your heart, vote your soul, vote for the party that represents your interests and what you believe in.

But whatever that is......vote!
















Be A Constitution Voter!

Be An Opener of Doors

Be an opener of doors.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I love blue, and I love this blue door. Across the street from Wendy Addison't studio and shop, in Port Costa, California. One of many photos from my time at ZNE CONVENZIONE.

How are you an opener of doors? Literally and figuratively.

Just think about it.

Birthday Fun with Piper

How can you pass up taking photos of a 2 year old and her swing? Still my birthday here in blogland. 55 and about 21 days. What fun Piper had. She loves to try to do what her big sister does, and she keeps up pretty well. However, the great aunt has some trouble. Piper is always a bit of a blur in the photos I take of her. Always moving. Time to invest in one of those National Geographic photo cards....you know, to get the action shots.
Everything Piper does is ACTION!

Wendy Addison's Studio

Wendy Addison's shop and studio, was the venue for ZNE Convenzione's special field trip for Monday August 25. Armed with mapquest directions and GPS, this brave midwesterner, plunged into traffic with a car full of mixed media artists from west of the Mississippi and headed to Port Costa, California to The Theatre of Dreams. We shopped for lovely ephemera, vintage silk ribbons, and anything that the gifted Wendy may have touched. Wendy was incredibly gracious, allowing all of us to take photos of every nook and cranny to be had in her shop and studio. You could just breathe in the creativity, it was in everything, from a casual collection of stuff waiting to be altered into art in her studio, to the lovely displays throughout her shop! Stop in some day if you get the chance, and soak in the ambiance, I'm hoping some of it rubbed off on me!

I won...I won $200...what I am calling the ZNE -Convenzione Economic Stimulus package!! I posted to http://blog.couragetocreate.com/ , Michele Beschen's Blog, the wonderful crafter from the DIY network. I'm off to spend the money at the zne vendor fare!!!! (Don't tell my husband, he'll want me to invest it in a long term CD.)

Gridlocked - ZNE Convenzione Workshop

Here it is! My first art retreat project...ever in my entire life! Wheww.....I took a wonderful class with Lisa Kaus and we learned to use her style of "grid" collage..which I'm loving more and more. The finish is beeswax. So....what did I learn. A little structure in layout'design, use and techniques of fluid acrylics...(yes, more supplies needed now) and graphite pencils/crayons, how to attach 3-d embellishments, and beeswax techniques using a heat tool and mini iron. Lisa was delightful, very calming, gracious, generous, encouraging. I loved how she walked around the room offering praise, encouragement and and suggestions. She would "ask" if she could show you something on your art...and then would demonstrate, without intruding on your work. An excellent example of teaching!!!! If you are related to me or among my close friends in St. Louis ( or around the world). Plan on being tormented with a new style of art!!!

Photo Fun in Half Moon Bay California

Thursday I drove over to Half Moon Bay, California, it is soooo much better navigating in the day light. Actually didn't get lost, more on that later. I spent some time just enjoying the beach and reading. It was overcast but beautiful. These fun little girls were having the best time.

Still my birthday!

It's my birthdcay! A quiet day, walking doggies, my brother in law worked on my computer, we went to Steak n Shake, a church dinner and a movie....we saw HOOT, hadn't seen that yet, and home again. Tommorrow is dinner with my brother and his lovely family.












Played with PhotoShop Elements on some of the photos!

it's my birthday....guess how old.....more to follow

More To Love

I love Peace Signs and rainbow roses,









Blue, purple and red and yellow.
Raspberry pick-up trucks and political bumper stickers.
Refigerator magnets that say "From the Kitchen of..."
Free stickers in my junk mail
Doggie photos and my grandma's kitty cat cookie jar











Birthday parties and Ice Cream Punch

























Magnetic daisys for your school locker, cardinals at the birdfeeder, chipmunks with chubby cheeks.

Charm bracelets from my teenage years, yearbooks, and vacation postcards.

Leather jackets, new mittens and wooly scarves.











and a few good snow days.

My love list!

What do you love?

I love black eyed susan’s in the sun
Bowling balls in my flower bed




I love dogs and their laughing faces
Vintage bikes with street numbers




I love pretty boxes of homemade cookies
Desk drawers filled with summer plans

I love rubber stamps
Stuffing as many as I can in a clear container



I love wild things growing by the garage
And grass growing between the patio bricks
I love ribbon , fiber and fabric
Paper, photos and ephemera




I love the sound of a window fan, cooling the room
A steady humming comfort noise
I love new pencils, crayons and dolls
Fresh bread , jumbo shrimp and French fries

I love the sunrise outside the kitchen window
And the shade trees sheltering our home.

I love searching for sea shells, rocks and leaf skeletons
Sharks teeth and fossils
I love lavender and cone flowers in bloom in summer
And monarch butterflies heading south each August
I love rainbows in the mist of crashing waves



Babbling streams on mountain trails, neon signs in the French Quarter
And museums of art in my home town.

I love the rolling plains of Kansas with sunflowers all in a row
And the most incredible green on the planet
I love stacks of vintage linens, old quilts and blankets
I love rummage sales, thrift stores, and stuffed boxes of treasures
I love crispy pizza, chili mac, and guacamole with chips
Strawberry shakes, cherries and whipped cream.



I love digital photography, blogging and eye candy websites
I love tote bags filled with books, folders and umbrellas
I love Volkswagens , old and new
I love historic houses, presidential libraries, and national cemeteries
I love dinner coupons, buy one get one, and discount movies
I love popcorn, diet coke with lots of ice and cherry vanilla Dr. pepper
I love a good glass of wine,…..on the rocks
Chai-tea latte from the 7 -11

http://chrysti.wordpress.com/2008/08/03/cover-girl-contest-cherished-surroundings/

Check out Chrysti's fabulous blog and see her beautiful artwork, and enter this fun contest, and tell about things that you love....the ordinary in your life, that is extraordinary

Help others!

Here's a great way to help out others. I work with a group called BRO-St. Louis. www.brostl.org
We provide toys during the holidays for families in need in the St. Louis area. We are also a recipent of books from First Book, check this out below. When you shake hands with the USCG, keep the men and women who serve, and protect our coast line and water ways in your thoughts and prayers. My dad, was a WWII era Coast Guardsman.



First Book & The USCG
Shake Hands with the U.S. Coast Guard starting July 5!As the signature charity of the U.S. Coast Guard, First Book announces the Summer Reading Handshake Tour kicking off July 5. This summer, the USCG Tall Ship Eagle sails to West Coast ports of call.Visitors to the ship who shake hands with the Coasties generate a brand new book for a child in need. The designated ports of call include:

• Tacoma, WA July 5-7 11,539 handshakes



• San Francisco, CA July 23-28 13,288 handshakes



• Los Angeles, CA August 1-4



• San Diego, CA August 8-11



• Los Angeles, CA August 15-18



• San Diego, CA August 20-25

Can't make one of the ports of call,

Help donate books to needy kids by clicking on the First Book Link below.http://www.firstbook.org/site/c.lwKYJ8NVJvF/b.4278527/

Learn about the United States Coast Guard Academy Training vessel,

The Eagle

http://www.cga.edu/display.aspx?id=2558