Handmade Cards to a New Level

In my spare time, I love to paint all kinds of shapes with watercolor paint on white cardstock. It’s sort of meditative and relaxing to paint dots, stripes, flowers, plaids, some with more than one color and some with black and red. I have an entire box full, like a treasure chest

Then I randomly cut them into strips. No ruler needed. Some are wonky. I glue them down on a piece of paper to secure them into place.

I love how they look with all those colors and shapes!

Then I get it ready to glue to a watercolor card.

I glue it and the flaps and secure it under a heavy book so it stays flat.

Here are two samples before the next step.

Using a fine point and ultra fine pint Sharpie in black, I add some details. I love how it looks. It’s rather meditative to sit and draw with a black pen. Just do it! 

Here’s the flower one

Let’s throw caution to the wind and use markers to make the colors pop! I love this look too!

Is There a Road Map for Retirement?

I’ve got all kinds of questions that I’m asking myself lately… What will retirement look like for me? Does it have to be scary? Do I have to change? Maybe change my way of seeing myself as a person with a variety of revenue streams, and how to make money on mostly everything that I do will change. That change is a good thing. Just relax and have fun will be my new mantra. Is retirement a nasty word? Will people take me seriously?

I will continue to read about 100 books a year

I will admire the blooms in the garden and share on social media

I will dig in the dirt and plant my gardens with flowers

I will draw and paint my favorite things!

I will go out to lunch once a week and enjoy a lovely Latte at Portola in Provisions Market with a friend

I will enjoy this painted hallway forever

I will deal with life’s challenges…like Crows eating my lawn for Grubs. The exciting part of life

And the challenge of moving my studio home. What to sell and what to keep. How will it all fit? In reality it won’t. Changes have to be made. A lot of furniture to sell. 

Will I continue to quilt. I hope so. I am getting ready to do a big project just for myself and no one else. That is a little hard to wrap my head around. Not working for companies, no deadlines, no shows to enter and no pressure. Maybe this could be the thing that I need to grow as an artist?

I am starting a new series of watercolors that will be made into small wall quilts 18x24. That is what all of the Mistyfused fabric is for. I am hopeful that I can make something and free motion quilt it. Hope is a good word.



And family…my favorite people to spend time with! Our first family photo in 2 years and the first time we have been altogether vaccinated! We had a lovely vacation cooking together, swimming, walking, drinking coffee, reading, and I had my first lesson of watercolor painting with the grands! Family brings my world full circle. 

Self Care and More

My hip started hurting at the wedding and just got worse everyday we were on vacation and when we got home 

Went to my non surgical orthopedic doctor who referred me to my orthopedic surgeon. Began self care immediately so whatever was going on could heal

In the meantime, I started a series of small paintings on rolling papers. Very thin tissue for rolling joints. It is very thin and tricky to work with. I love a good challenge

I had to STOP what I did on a regular basis and rest. Self care is really important for your body, mind and spirit 

Carrots. Drawn with a Pitt Pen and very carefully painted with watercolors 

My mantra is to keep moving. I draw out my life on paper and color it in with paint

Cups! 

Easy peasy. Appt with my orthopedic doctor in early September 

The Plumeria bloomed on one plant


Posted on IG after a week of self care. 

Another rolling paper piece of art





Me in the garden. I strained my Hip Flexor Muscle swimming freestyle and the constant kicking lap by lap is what did it. I usually do the breast stroke and the elementary backstroke. No more freestyle for me. So painful. I am much better now. But, No surgery needed which was so happy to hear! Onward we go! Back to walking! 

Just Get it Done

I bought this cool portable air conditioner for my neck to use in my studio on hot days! It works! Amazon!

It comes in a few colors. USB charge and you’re ready to go! 3 speeds

Ode to my Dad on Father’s Day!

My new garden is almost done! I love how it’s coming together!

The other side

The bar on the left used to be right by that white column and not in a good place, so it got moved. The corner area will become a succulent garden.I had to trim the upper limbs from the Wisteria to bring in more light

The whimsical shade garden

The other side of the whimsical garden

A salute to going out for delicious coffee once a week with a friend. Portola Coffee in Provisions Deli in Old Town Orange


A new bloom from a bulb!

First Trip in 14 Months

We are both vaccinated and safe to travel to see our kids and grands

We flew JSX out of a private terminal at John Wayne Airport so we would have limited contact. No TSA. We flew into Concord, CA and got a Lyft to Napa 40 minute drive

For the first leg of our trip we were in Napa to celebrate our oldest son’s 40th Birthday. This was the spread that we ate for days from Sonoma Market

The countryside was so beautiful 

The Mustard is blooming everywhere in Napa

Travel watercolor set so I could get some painting done for the 100dayproject

My first landscape

Another view

I spent a good deal of time making artwork for our grands...on demand. Later, when they are al little older they can trace these designs onto their magnetic drawing tablets. This was great fun!


We had some great rainstorms

The birthday boy drew these from my drawings to try out the tracing - it works! Daniel Tiger and his mom

The calm before the storm

I would have loved to get closer to this house on the hill

Napa views