Still working on the b/room and starting to set up the tree.

It isn't completed yet, but the floor in the b/room was prepped, walls were painted, linoleum laid, vanity and mirror set up,  and that's about as far as we've gotten on this project. There are still tiles to put up against the wall and around the perimeter and some caulking to be done. It's a b/w theme. I'm not good at decorating,

I try to stay simple. We still need to put up the new shower curtains which also have that black and white theme,  and I'm planning on looking for a valance for the little window. It is  a very small b/room but that's what came with the house. Another couple of weeks and it will be completed.

 

I've started setting up my tree. The lights are on, but the decorations are not on yet. It will be nice and cozy when all is set-up and the fireplace is going. It's always comfy this time of year although the bitter cold tends to freeze me, I manage to stay warm with jammies, slippers, and robe. We rely on the fireplace for heat in the winter. The next project after this is the installation of a heater. Just a wall heater. We don't have forced air heating/cooling. It would just be too expensive. We get by. Some day we will get one of those big screen tv's but I hear that they take a lot of energy, so I don't know.

Just a quick post to say hi and let you know what is going on. Now it's 9pm and past my bedtime. I was going to go in the studio but I think age is catching up with me. I tire easy these days. Tomorrow I have to go pick tangerines and check the oranges to see if they are ready. We picked limes a couple of days ago and I'm taking them to the ladies at Curves tomorrow. The lemons are also ready, so it's picking time again. Hope you all have a great Tuesday. I'm playing Christmas music right now. Time to turn it off. Hasta luego, chow, arriverderci and all that jazz.

VIVA LA VIDA!!

I hope everyone is happy and smiling today.

 JUST A QUICK POST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW I AM NOT IGNORING ANYONE OR STAYING AWAY. I JUST POPPED IN REALLY QUICK LIKE BECAUSE I AM HANGING DRAPES, MOVING FURNITURE AROUND TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE ONCOMING TREE, HELPING MY HUSBAND RENOVATE THE BATHROOM AND REALLY REALLY BUSY. IN CASE ANYONE STOPS BY AND I HAVEN'T ANSWERED YOUR COMMENTS, I PROMISE TO GET TO THEM TONIGHT AND BECAUSE YOU ARE SO KIND AS TO STOP BY, BIG HUGS TO ALL OF YOU. AS THE BIG
"ARNOLD" WOULD SAY:

"I'LL BE BACK"

:D

VIVA LA VIDA

Hi/Ho back to normal

First and Foremost, I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a very nice quiet one and a pretty delicious one at that. I have another TURKEY that I will be cooking next weekend and we will have our own AT HOME turkey dinmer. It will be fun once again. Hope all is well and I've been busy working on my bangles and thinking and trying to make a decision on whether to use Etsy or not. I'm still thinking on it. Before the year is out I should have made a decision. So far I've sold 2 bangles and thats' cool. I have also posted another 4 bangles  on the bangle blog, have a peek if you so desire.

On to other business. I haven't been able to stop by my usual blogs and I apoligize for not leaving comments like I normally do but I'LL BE BACK, I PROMISE! (unless a train hits me and that's not likely to happen while I'm indoors.):D I did receive an award from Linda that I have to post about and list 10 things about my self but to STRAY a little from that I will just pass on the award to other's who may want an award. I will say though about myself, I have learned a lot about who I am, and what I plan on doing in this coming year.

THANK YOU LINDA!!

Okay..............Here is the HONEST SCRAP AWARD and I hope you receiver's pick it up because you are turly honest. ahem.
1.    yaya

2.  Darlene

3.  Dida

4.  Chondra

5. Estee


AND IF THERE ARE OTHER WHO WOULD LIKE THIS HONEST SCRAP BADGE, PLEASE COPY AND PASTE ON YOUR BLOG. AGAIN THANK YOU LINDA SO MUCH FOR THINKING OF ME. TRULY APPRECIATED. NOW ON TO THE 5'S BLOGS TO LET THEM KNOW THEY HAVE A PICK-UP.


It's great to be back but today it back to work on the bathroom and other things. I've got so many things to do since my husband has been home, the house is messy. uck!

On another note, I received my ORIGINAL painting from Trine over at Manic Attack Art and I am so happy and pleased with her beautiful work. I also ordered a print and she sent me an extra print, so I am in heaven enjoying her work. Thanks Trine and I'm glad you like the bracelet as well. Trine emailed a picture to me of her wearing the bracelet and I need to ask her if it's okay to to use at least her arm with the bracelet on, at my other blog. DD

Okay  all you awesome and knowledgable bloggers, I bid you adieu and with that peace and love and happiness and health and the whole kit and kaboodle. I'll be back. Viva La Vida!

HAVE A GREAT ONE!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY BLOGGER FRIENDS AND EVERYONE. I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR TURKEY DAY. I WON'T HAVE TIME TOMORROW TO GO TO EACH INDIVIDUAL BLOG, SO HERE I AM AHEAD OF TIME TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM WISHING YOU LOTS OF HAPPINESS ON THIS SPECIAL FAMILY DAY. TAKE CARE WHEREVER YOU GO. and...I MUST NOT FORGET TO SAY THAT I AM THANKFUL FOR MY FAMILY AND EVERYTHING IN LIFE. FOR YOU MY BLOGGER FRIENDS AND THE JOY I HAVE RECEIVED FROM KNOWING YOU.

AWARD FROM LINDA

THANK YOU LINDA, YOU ARE A GREAT FRIEND!

THANKS LINDA FOR THIS AWARD. I TRULY APPRECIATE IT AND WILL POST THE SEVEN THINGS AND PASS ON THE AWARD, RIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING IF NOT BEFORE. I TRULY APPRECIAT IT.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU.

FRESH LETTUCE FROM THE GARDEN

PICKED SOME LETTUCE, WASHED EACH LEAF INDIVUALLY, SPUN THEM DRY AND WILL USE SOME OF THIS LETTUCE IN STEAK SANDWICHES FOR DINNER. THE ORANGES AND TANGERINES ARE DOING GREAT ALTHOUGH A COUPLE OF ORANGES HAVE SPLIT FROM THE COLD. FINISHED ANOTHER 3 BANGLES AND THEY ARE DRYING, READY TO PAINT THE BATHROOM AND I CAN HARDLY WAIT TILL IT'S DONE SO THAT I CAN RUN OUT AND GET NEW SHOWER CURTAINS, TOWELS, AND MATS. WE'RE DOING IT IN A DIFFERENT COLOR. RIGHT NOW IT'S A LIGHT BLUE. WE'RE DOING IT IN BLACKS/WHITES AND THAT INCLUDES LINOLEUM. IT'S ALWAYS EXCITING HAVING NEW THINGS.

HAVE A GREAT EVENING AND A WONDERFUL TUESDAY.  JUST ME, GLORIA.

Beautiful Monday

Hi all! I have been totally busy and really that is a good thing. I've put off going to exercise for this week since we are working on the bathroom and I am taking pictures and uploading into my  new blog http://glorv1spaintedwoodenbracelets.blogspot.com/  that I just started a couple of days ago. I've just uploaded 3 new pictures of the bangles. If you get a chance stop by and take a little peek.

I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving now. The holidays are upon us and I know everyone is going to be really busy. I'll be sure to drop in very early on Thanksgiving before we leave to wish you all a good one. Today it's all about working on the bathroom, checking the orange and tangerine trees outside to see how they are doing. I'm hoping they are ready before Xmas because I like to "basket" them and give away to friends and family. I am saving a lot for juice and plus I like to dehydrate the rind. I slice the rinds, sugar them and then dry them. Delish!

I better go for now since I hear hubby having a problem and he probably needs  my help. Oh woe is me, woe is me. :D Take care and have a great rest of the day.

Now that I'm better it's work, work, work.

Hi all. I've been busy working on my new blog http://glorv1spaintedwoodenbracelets.blogspot.com/ , plus we are tearing  out the bathroom to re-do it. We are painting, adding new flooring, new vanity, mirrior, some shelfs and it's actually a bad time to be doing this because of the holidays, but it's the only time my husband has enough time. He took 9 days off. Luckily we are heading to my mom's for Thanksgiving dinner, so I won't be cooking here at home.

I will  make something on our own maybe a couple of weeks down the road. Another turkey so that we can celebrate it here at home. Everyone gathers over my mom's. So I don't have much to post about because like I said, I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to run my little "Shoppe." I had thought of doing Etsy but if this works out okay, I'll  leave it as is.

Have a great Sunday or whats left of it. I'm going to be uploading more bracelets and adding prices this evening. Take care, enjoy and woo hoo!! Talk to you later. Just me, gloria. :D

LIFE IS GOOD!! YESTERDAY I HURT, TODAY I'M RARING TO GO!

I woke up this morning feeling a lot better. I said a prayer last night for relief of paint PAIN, (got paint on my mind) and then you all sent me good healing vibes and today I am 99% better. Thank you very much. So I woke early, made my hubby's lunch, made coffee, had coffee, talked with him a few minutes before he left, kiss goodbye, and close the door. Then, I ran out to the studio and I do say ran, because that's what I did, sort of. I didn't feel like painting in there because it was tooooooo cold so I brought the dear woman in here. When Van Gogh painted his mother, he didn't title it or at least it wasn't shown where I found the painting in his gallery. Her name was "Anna Cornelia Carbentus Gogh." You can click on her name to see Van Gogh's portrait of his mom. He painted her in October of 1888 and she is in the Norton Simon Museum of Art in Pasadena (Cal). She was a beautiful woman and I enjoyed painting her although it wasn't easy. I did what I did, and that's it.

I like it. It could use more detail, but I have a difficult time with details.

Here is the finished product and my version of Van Gogh's mom. I should have known she would be a doozy to paint and I've gone as far as I can go with her. I used watercolors, a little acrylic, watercolor crayon and a sealer. Done, done, done. I hope you like her and I love feedback , whatever it may be. I hope everyone enjoys their weekend, I know I will. I'm cooking soup today with my butternut squash.

So now it's back to wooden bracelets and I still have a ton of them to paint.

I'M GOOD TO GO!!

HELLO EVERYONE, I'M GOOD TO GO. THANKS FOR THE WELL WISHES. THOUGHT I BETTER PUT THIS SIGN UP TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THESE KNEES CAN'T GET ME DOWN, WHOOOPEEEEE. I'M READY TO PARTY!! OH I FORGOT, I DON'T PARTY. HEHEHEHE. THANKS EVERYONE. I'M GOING BACK TO FINISHING VAN GOGHS, MOMS. HAVE A GREAT SATURDAY.

Short hello

Hi all.Just a short post to let you know I'm totally busy these day so I haven't really

had time to spend online. I'm busy but my knees are killing me. I don't think about them

so that I don't make them worse but it feels like someone is hammering hot needles into my knees.

Living with arthritis is a pain in the neck, er...knees. :D

Other than that, all is well. All the leaves are on the ground. We had a sort of windy two days.

Thankfully my husband will be off work for a good 9 days,

starting this Sunday. I think I'm really tired right now.

 so I just wanted to say hi and hope to have something to post about tomorrow.

Take care and have a great Saturday.

VIVA LA VIDA!

I hope everyone is happy and smiling today.

TIME TO GO EXERCISE NOW AND WITH A SMILE ON MY FACE, BUT ONLY IF "YOU'LL JUST SMILE." ::D

Another peek into her eyes-having problems here.

I'm not really getting into this painting like I thought I would. This woman is very hard to paint. I should have used acrylics instead of water color. Maybe I'll go over it with acrylics. I'm going to have to put it down for a while. I don't feel myself in this painting and that's not good. I want to be there where she is sitting, feeling what she is feeling....Just can't get into it right now. So it's put it away for a few days or till after Thanksgiving and then give it a try again. I was painting for  just a while and then decided to quit as my soul is not finding it's way into that canvas. So this is as far as I've gotten on Van Gogh's dear old mother, may she rest in peace. :D 

I made some walnuts from our walnut tree with lots of brown sugar. I guess they are called candied walnuts. Super good. Tonight  is elimination on DWTStars and that's at 8pm so I took out the ice cream to soften it a bit because it is frozen stiff.
So I have to visit a few blogs, leave my comments and then get ready to read a little short story in my short stories book and get my ice cream and watch DWTStars. So that's all I have to say....hmmm lets see....over and out, ciao, arriverderci, sayonara, hasta luego, elalleqa, hagoonea', ja ne, ja mata ne,
auf wiedersehen,addio, buona sera, or how about just plain GOODBYE until tomorrow. Viva La Vida!

November 17th-Tuesday

It's getting close to turkey time and I'm starting to feel those pangs of hunger just thinking about mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing and the whole kit and kaboodle that goes with that. It's cold this morning. I still have to get my booty out of this house to go to Curves for my daily regimen of exercise. Although I don't see too much of a change in my body, so to speak, I am physically and mentally better for the exercise. Plus it is a  lot of fun and I just exercise for 30-45 minutes.

Just wanted to touch bases and upload the BEGINNINGS of the latest painting I'm doing, Gogh's mother. It really looks bad and I'm not sure if I'll be able to get to that point where I am satisfied with it, only time will tell. I primed the canvas with a lot of different colors if you remember on the mole, rice and beans day, and now I've started the face and yuckky I say yuckky. Bear with me while she grows on the canvas. lol
OR NOT!  She may not grow at all. I better get ready, just wanted to say hi/ho and have a great day. VIVA LA VIDA.  I better go comb my hair and get going before I get LAZY. ::WAVING::

Today is MOLE, RICE, BEANS and HOMEMADE TORTILLAS.....

.....ALONG WITH PAINTING MORE BRACELETS AND THE ONES YOU SEE HERE ARE THE LATEST.  SO FAR WHAT'S IN THE PLASTIC CONTAINER ARE ALL THE BRACELETS I'VE MADE, NOT COUNTING ABOUT 15 OR SO THAT I GAVE TO A FEW ADMIRERS. HOPE YOU LIKE THEM.

LATEST BRACELETS

I'VE PRIMED A CANVAS WITH GESSO, ACRYLIC PAINTS, AND AM NOW GOING TO ADD WATER COLOR TO THE CANVAS TO TRY TO MAKE IT LOOK TRANSLUCENT. I HOPE TO PAINT ON THIS CANVAS,  VAN GOGH'S MOTHER WHICH WON'T BE EASY. I'M HAVING A HARD TIME WITH THE SKETCH AND IN FACT I RUINED THE FIRST ONE AND AM STARTING A NEW SKETCH.

AND HERE ARE THE CHILI'S THAT I AM TOASTING. I  WILL MAKE THE MOLE SAUCE OUT OF THIS. THE CHICKEN WAS ALREADY COOKED SO IT WILL BE EASY TO MAKE. JUST HAVE TO COOK THE RICE, MAKE THE TORTILLAS,  AND SMASH THE BEANS, AND WE'RE GOOD TO GO. SO THAT'S ABOUT IT. MY ESPOSO IS IN THE BASEMENT PUTTING THE NEW PIPING OR FINISHING THE JOB AND I'VE BEEN PUTTERING AROUND. I WANT TO GET ON THAT PAINTING BUT STILL HAVE THINGS TO DO IN THE KITCHEN. I JUST POPPED IN TO SAY HI BECAUSE I FEEL GUILTY IF I DON'T POST SOMETHING.  I HOPE YOU ARE ALL HAVING A GREAT SUNDAY. HAVE A GREAT WEEK AS WELL. VIVA LA VIDA!

POACHED EGGS AND SKETCHING

Great day in the morning time. At least it's still morning over here. I'm not really that much of an egg eater, maybe 4 or 5 eggs a month, if even that. Today though, I felt like eggs. So I poached not one, but two eggs, toasted some bread, buttered it a little, set the eggs on top and topped them with a little homemade salsa. I then poured myself a nice hot cup of Kenya coffee, took a sip and for a brief instant I was in Africa.....oh come on Gloria, get on with it. Well anyway, I've been sketching and wanted to sit and eat my breakfast and study Van Gogh's portrait of his mother and try to sketch it a little. I ate, I studied, I sketched just a little, went back to my eggs, studied, sipped coffee and now I'm done eating. It was gooooood. Esposo is at work right now, so I decided to baby myself a little. For now this is all, because I have to wash clothes, hang them out to dry, mop, dust and various other household duties. I hope you all have a great weekend and I'll be back later this afternoon. Oh by the way, I had joined Facebook but decided to "deactivate" it for now. I just don't  have the time and patience to learn it, plus it can be addicting and already I have this blog and that's enough for me right now. (this info is for those that I contacted while on Facebook) Oh yeah and I'm making CAPIROTADA right now. (it's like a bread pudding). The house is smelling gooooooood.

Are you a night owl?

Roll back the years and bring back those memories. Have a great Friday amigas/amigos.

Following the Master's Challenge

NOTE ADDED 11/13/09  If you get a chance, stop by:

Michelle Burnett's http://followingthemasters.blogspot.com/ which is the blog that is sponsoring this challenge. Thanks Michelle for adding my painting with the rest of those glorious painter's.

Of course the one on top is Vincent Van Gogh's painting,  and the one under his is my version of Vincent Van Gogh's painting titled, "DR. GACHET."

I was inspired by Gemma as I usually am because of her artistic talents  and after seeing her interpretation of  Madame Ginoux  I just had to go dig out my interpretation of Dr. Gachet. Of course no one could ever come close to his artistic talent but it is so much fun trying. Like Gemma said, you actually start thinking of what it is he was thinking when he did certain strokes. I did this painting about 8 years or so ago.  I'm going to try again. I've got a nice size canvas waiting to be primed and I'm going to try to paint this one again. Why? Because I will feel as if I'm in another place and time when I'm painting it. Oh boy, I can hardly wait. If you get a chance, stop by Gemma's house and her artistic talents.  Thanks Gemma.

So, I made tamales and I have to be truthful. You see, it goes like this....I make pretty good tamales, they almost melt in your mouth, but that's because I make my own masa. Today I had unfrozen some store bought masa and I will never use store bought stuff again. The masa was tough and not enjoyable at all, although my husband ate 5 or 6 tamales and didn't utter a word as he ate them until I mentioned the masa. Know what he said...."Oh that's okay, it's just for you and me,  not company."  So he agreed with me not to buy store bought masa, but to make my own. My friend Serena is feeling better and you go girl, I'm happy you are better. I best be going now, I've got a few things to do before I climb into my comfy bed. Take care and have a great Thursday. Know something....

VIVA LA VIDA!

GOD BLESS OUR MEN AND WOMEN WHO PROTECT US AND OUR COUNTRY!

The Way We Get By - Trailer from The Way We Get By on Vimeo.

November 10th. Tuesday

Not too much to post about today. I've been moving in slow motion but I'm moving. Husband has class tonight and Thursday night,  so I won't be making dinner. I am going to get some tamale leaves softened and work the masa and defrost the meat so that I can make tamales tomorrow. I had planned on making them today but the better part of me got lazy. I'm only making a couple of dozen. Wow it feels weird not expecting my husband at the usual time. He won't be home till about 10pm. His class starts at 7pm and he'll go straight from work to the college and take his tests in Stockton. I feel deserted for some reason or other.

Oh I guess that's why I've been in slow motion. How strange that you get used to daily routine and then when it's off, you feel like something is wrong. I am very lucky to be blessed with a wonderful husband and I actually am missing him already. It's not a monthly thing or even a yearly thing but something that has to be done every 5 years or so to keep his licenses active.

I've got some little boxes and my bangles that I'm working on so I will be doing that, at least until 9pm when Dancing With The Stars begins.

No pictures today. Just here to say hello and have a great day tomorrow. Ooooh I just looked at little packets of square cut material that I can cover the boxes with. Maybe I'll run and take a picture. Excuse me, I'll be back. Hold on please, just a moment......There! I've added 3 pix of "stuff." Little boxes that I am decorating for end of year use. (Xmas) I'll add something in the little boxes and give to friends. Then I went out and bought myself an Air Brush with compressor to give it a try. I have a few canvas that need some paint on them.  So that's it for today. I  just didn't want to keep the same post up for days at a time. Have a great Wednesday.

VIVA LA VIDA

Painting Wooden Bracelets Again.

Happy Sunday to all. I am having a great Sunday and getting back into painting my wooden bracelets and just loving it. My plans are to sell these  bracelets that are large, medium, small size. Most of the ones you see are large but they actually aren't that big. I have all the measurements and I will be posting the dimensions, and other needed info. I plan on sellng them at very reasonable price. Petty cash you might say. Why? Well because I do this for one and covering costs is all I'm really intested in and I've already given away at least 15 of these and they were very happy to receive the gift. Well who wouldn't want something free. Maybe in the near future I'll have a giveaway. Buy one first though. hehehehe. Just kidding. Right now I'm experimenting with the paints and trying to come up with a color. Today my hubby is working o n the piping in the basement so that we can have all lead free piping. Next week he will be installing the new sink/cabinets. He is laying the linoleum today I think. I try not to get in his way when he is busy. He normally doesn't answer me when he is all into what he is doing and I the same to him when I am painting. It has been a cool Sunday as I have a sweat shirt on. My family pet member Chocolatte is sound asleep under her blankets and Chippy and SisterMay are in the garage on their bed. So even they can feel the cold. Sister and Chippy  have a doggie door that goes into the garage and a nice little bed with pillows and blankets, so they are very comfy there. The garage is actually mild temps. I better go because it is painting time again. Viva La Vida!

Veggie Dinner except for the cheese and corn tortilla # 2 Continued from previous post. Ready to eat.

Veggie Dinner except for the cheese and corn tortilla

Well this is dinner tonight. That yucky looking green stuff you see is actually zuchini from our garden that was cooked, pureed, and frozen for soup. That is what is happening to it right now, it is being unfrozen and then will be warmed up.

These corn tortillas are for Quesadillas. I am cooking easy today. All the veggie  ingredients that will go into a warmed and softened tortilla I will saute.

Now we come to the veggies from the garden that will go into the tortilla. Vegetables include the bell peppers you see below, red and green and then one of the 4 chayote's that we got this year. They will be sauteed first since they take a little longer to cook. I wish we had gotten more chayotes, although there are some teenie ones still on the vine. Maybe they will grow bigger.

These are a variety of the salad greens that will also be fast fried with all the other veggies. Below this picture are the green onions,a white onion and a mixture of diced chili. Part of the saute process.

Here is some cabbage also part of the saute process.

Once all the vegetables are cooked, they will be spooned into a warmed corn tortilla and cheese spooned on top. I have two types of cheese I'm using. I haven't tried the Feta in quesadillas, so we will see how they taste.The Mozzarrella, well that's always a winner.  After the tortillas are filled and folded over, they then go on the indoor grill until the cheese melts and the tortillas have the grill marks. I'll show you later how they look because I haven't cooked them yet.
HeeeeHeeeee. All this stuff is waiting for me to get started but my hubby doesn't get home till this afternoon and it is only 1:20 pm over here. He is working on Saturday the dear darling. :D So there you have it. I'm feeling better now and have made plans to paint  bracelets this evening.
I hope you all are having a great Saturday. I shall return. Take care and VLV. You know what that means, Viva La Vida!