Learning to Change a Tire

My sweet 16 yr old daughter loves her car. She cleans it and puts gas in and even volunteers to run all her friends around town. But one thing I have learned that she does not do is pay close attention to the sounds and feel of the car while out on a Friday night with the girls! Apparently she got a flat tire and proceeded to drive on it all night! When asked if she felt or heard anything, her response was, "no. I even asked my friends and they didn't feel anything either." When my husband got up Saturday morning to leave in his car, he noticed that her tire was flat. Upon further inspection, he saw just how flat and shredded it was! So, our sweet little 16 yr old got a lesson in tire changing. Which I think should be mandatory in drivers ed. I mean really! Changing a tire IS part of driving...not just which way to turn your tires when parking down hill. ok...enough of that. Because the truth is that I am 43 and just learned how tonight with my daughter. (yes, I said it out loud)

For all of you out there who are like me...here ya go...tire changing 101

Dad stepped in and here is what we learned:

Before you begin- PUT ON EMERGENCY BRAKE AND FLASHERS

1. Get spare tire and jack out of trunk

2. place the jack under the jack point of your car.

3. loosen bolts on tire, one turn only,but do not remove

4. raise car until the tire is able to spin/or you can see under it

5. loosen bolts completely and remove

6. pull off flat tire

7. put on spare

8. put on bolts and tighten with your fingers

9. lower the car until the tire just touches the ground

10. tighten bolts, in a star pattern, completely (go all the way around checking the tightness on all bolts)

11.. lower car with jack

12. put flat tire and jack in trunk

13. drive straight to the tire shop for a new tire

(make sure when tire is up on jack that you put NO part of your body underneath the car!)

Thanks to Dad for his patience and understanding. You did a great job teaching sweetie

Enjoy!

Playing the Part

Saturday night I, along with 3 other artists, will be..."Playing the Part". I will be a french painter on the streets of Paris at the 2010 Gala for the Greater Huntsville Rotary Club. Each year the Gala has a different theme and charity. This year the inspiration was taken from the 1951 movie, An American in Paris, starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron.

This should be lots of fun. I have my little french beret ready to go. I will take pictures and keep you posted on "Madam Magnifique's" adventures........stay tuned :)

Thank you to my friend Arnd in Switzerland, for the name. I will wear it proudly :)

Update- Well the evening was a complete blast! The chorus, dancers, jugglers and staff were all amazing. There were 450 attendees all dressed in their beautiful gowns and black ties. Now, painting in the dark was a little bit of a challenge...but well worth it. My spot on the streets of Paris was right next to the photographer, Johnny Miller. He was very interesting and travels all over the world with his camera. Sounded like a lot of fun! My friend Leigh would have loved him. Thank you to George for letting me be a part of the evening. Thanks to my sweet husband for taking care of all the teenagers and their activities at home so I could go. It was nice participating with 3 very talented artists, Julie Ellsworth,Janice Lowther & Rob Wheeler. They looked GREAT!

So there you have it....a beautiful french evening in Paris....makes me want to get on a plane and go back!

Enjoy!

M

Another Whimsical Cherry

I was asked by a friend to paint her a "Whimsical Cherry" like the one that sold last season at the Madison Street Festival. Of course I said yes....and have had a wonderful time painting it. I have found that getting lost in the curl of the branches and the rhythm of this piece has given me some much needed meditation and reflection time. I have learned that life can get all twisted and tangled sometimes. But at the end of every branch or adventure, if I keep doing the next right thing, there is a beautiful red cherry. That cherry is my faith in God and myself....that I can do it again another day.

I know...a little deep for such a crazy painting huh? LOL

Thank you Jo for letting me get lost in the cherry one more time! Now you will have to write a poem for this one ;)

Enjoy!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

SOLD

Happy Valentine's Day

"BE Love"

This year I am learning about "being love". Not saying or feeling or thinking....but actually "being" all that love is.

Love is;

patient and kind. It does NOT envy, boast or be proud. It is NOT rude, self seeking or angered easily. Love keeps no records of wrong. It does not delight in evil...but rejoices in the truth. Love always protects, trusts, hopes, and preserves.

"Her Legacy"

Today I had the pleasure of finally delivering "Her Legacy"! This painting has meant so much to me. I have set with God through every brush stroke, listening carefully to the next right move. Some days were hard and some flowed so quickly that I couldn't believe they were over. The moment I hung this painting, I knew that it was all worth it. She now hangs in the home of a beautifully spirited woman. She hangs at the top of the stairs as you enter this home. For those who enter to be given a welcome and those who depart to be given direction. She will be a constant reminder that this life is not about the material needs, but the evolving and growing of one's soul and faith. As I stood there today to take a picture of Daphne and her Legacy, I felt this warmth. I have painted only 2 paintings in the past 5 years that have touched me so deeply...and this is one of them. I heard that small voice all through the painting process and again today. He continues to say, "BE love". There is a comfort in knowing that God knows exactly what he is doing. He knows exactly where we are going and what people will cross our path. I am blessed to have this beautiful woman to have crossed mine. I have learned so much. As I drove away today, all I could do was cry. Thank you God for continually blessing me. Thank you for filling my heart with so much joy that I feel I am going to bust. Thank you for waking me up from that long dark journey.

Daphne, Thank you for giving me the chance to paint this for you. Thank you for your patience during the process and your joy at the delivery. God is so very very proud of you. I hope that "YOUR" Legacy will be as full of joy as your painting shows.

Enjoy!

Drift

^knife work^

^Sketch out and color block^

One of my facebook friends always has the most beautiful pictures of where he lives. So I decided to paint one. It will be part of the new paintings for the art shows this year. I still have a little way to go with it. Here is the progress so far.
It is 12"x24" called simply.... "Drift"
Enjoy!

Painting

I spend a lot of my time painting these days. I am either at a client's home painting walls, cabinets, etc. or I am in the studio painting. I have to say that I am grateful for what God allows me to do for a living each and every day. I cannot imagine a life without painting. It gives me a time to solve problems, answer questions or just get lost and meditate. Here is a picture that my husband snapped the other day while I was finishing up a commission. (that will be delivered on Saturday)

Enjoy!