Now able to breathe

What a month it has been...
We have made it through this month,and have come out on the other side with the best news we could have ask for.... NO CHEMO!!!!
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!!!
Even after a shaved head,  we are so grateful....
We had prepared so far ahead, as to have decorated buckets for the up coming [no pun intended] chemo... {Which will now be donated to the chemo center}

I also want to say a great big Thank You to the Doctors, Nurses and  all the staff members that helped us get through this very difficult month ,by working their magic .....    
  Thank You to every one of the people who have been so wonderful in sending love, prayers, cards, food, flowers,cookies, candy and so much more.... We have made it through all this with all of your help....
Now there is time to heal and prepare for the next surgery, rest, and recovery....
I have had a little time of late,to do some planning for the up coming 30 in 30 days paintings and have now picked a theme...bought the supplies... and cleared my mind, of the heavy worry over chemo....
It's a new day !!!!
I did my first pre-paint in a month in preparations for my returning to work ,on Tuesday, for a private party that requested me....Thank You....

This one will be lots of fun to paint.....
I wish you all a wonderful Sunday and may the new month find you all happy and healthy.....
by for now
 Sandipaints

Absent for a while

It has been a while since I have taken the time to write here,but I have had duties else where that have been taking the forefront of my time and concentration.
So far so good on that front but so much more still to come ....
Thank you PWAT for this month off to be able to care for Amy....
     

I am still trying to grab some time to be creative and have added some sketches to my brand new sketchbook.

I am very excited to have sold another painting from my ETSY Shop.

 Thank You very much jewelrybyjenny for your purchase from my "I'm A Little Tea Pot" collection of paintings.... 

Please go visit my  ETSY shop 

Sandipaints ....And see what you have been missing ...

I have again signed up for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge coming up in September and am trying to pick a theme for those paintings...

Anyway on with this beautiful day hope it finds you all well and happy...

Back in the mountains

Everything looks great here ..very green a lush and beautiful as ever...
We are starting the day at 38 degrees, this morning, and it is sunny and cool,with a high of 64 degrees expected..
A feast for the eyes after six months of being away...And how the air smells like the clover that is in bloom every where here...
Until I am here I forget things like how much art I have really done..[every wall covered here too]...

My studio

The Peonies and Iris are in bloom ..my favorite....

Now on with this beautiful Day ..Hope everyone one has a great  Monday...

It seems summer is here..

                            Tampa Studio

Brandon Studio

I sure am enjoying the flowers, as they hit full bloom, from our already hot weather...
work and home are both having air conditioning troubles trying to keep up with the heat....88 degrees both yesterday and the day before...
This is why we live in Florida , but, it is only early May....
My favorite boy called me on his own yesterday to face time..He said he missed his Grandma Sandi... [made my heart melt]
I am a bit late with this, but, I have had a very hard time trying to get the pictures on my blog page so....
We had so much fun getting our two studios together to paint..
First Brandon's artists came to our South Tampa studio to paint..
And the very next night the Tampa artists went to the Brandon studio,  and a wonderful time was had by all ....
So Sorry for the delay in reporting these events,
What a good time we had getting to know each other......So much fun...
Thank You !! Thank You!!! Gina and Todd for getting us all together and for painting with us....
Now on with the day at hand.. Hope all have a good and safe one....

A wonderful mother's day

              Cheers and Happy Mother's Day to all you Mother's out there
                    More power to you....

I had the best day yesterday...Thank You!! Thank You!
I started the day early by making sandwiches for the people at the home my mother is living in...
They take such good care of her ,and I wanted to do something to give back a bit...so I made lunch for 32 people and it was fun to see that it gave even then nurses and care givers, lunch, plus, a break so as not to have to work so hard on Mother's Day.
Mom will be 90 years old next month,and is doing pretty well for all she has to deal with, and I am so thankful to still have her in my life....
At 12:30 I was invite and went to Jamie's house for a wonderful Mother's Day lunch.
It was so nice to get to catch up on everything, going on with everyone ,we rarely get to see..
 we spent the whole afternoon out on the porch enjoying the food,    the company and the beautiful yard full of butterflies that Jamie has been nurturing for some time now..
many, many catepillars are going through many ,many milkweed plants to make such beautiful creatures....
It has been a long while since I have had time to sit and enjoy the company of old friends...
Thank You Jamie for hosting us all and being such a good friend....

May , Five months in....

Yesterday was my first time to hop in the pool this year ...
We have had high 80's and low 90's for the past two weeks and the pool water has reach 81 now..
However it is expected we will have rain and a cool front come through tomorrow ,so the pool water will cool down for a bit....
It sure does feel nice in this heat....
We were also lucky enough to get to go to The Columbia in Ybor City on Thursday evening and man was that some yum....
It has been many years since I have been there and it was a pleasure to feast on the 1905 salad, as well as,all the other goodies they are known for....
I have still been working on the travel journal slowly, but I have been a bit under the weather so have not added color to many of the entries.
Here we are five months into this year...Holy Smokes... How does that happen so fast now??
Happy Cinco Day Mayo in only two days ..this is what I am teaching to celebrate that day....

Reality

It is a reality now,  Lakeshore is no longer a part of us, except in the memories, we will always carry with us as a Family.
It was such a wonderful place to grow up...
We went by this week to see the progress being made and it, is already a whole new place, nothing to do with us...
We have moved on and are very happy here too,
with many memories still to make....
But that does make us all some what sad ,to see it as a part of the past...and how much and how fast it is all changing....
Let It Go... Flap Your Wings ...is what I am saying as I wipe away a tear of sadness..
We have all moved on and we are all happy where we are now...
Thankful for all we have had in the past and Thankful for what we have now...Truly Thankful....

Middle of April

                        New Acrylic on Canvas 12x16

                    Cover for the A.R.Art Journal

China

                   Dragon

                     Tile finished

I painted another painting just for the fun of it yesterday and struggled with color but am happy now with it... I have not signed or named it yet.
I am also really enjoying The Amazing Race Art Journaling Challenge...I have never journaled before so something new for me... I always like to try new challenges, they help keep me moving forward ...any practice is a good thing and it is so much fun to see what I can come up with, as well as what other artists are doing...
The first country China and the first detour, I picked the dragon...Lots of Fun...Lots of people doing this with many great entries so far...
 Now about what is happening in the new bathroom, The Tile man finished yesterday and next we have the plumber coming back to hook everything up so we can use it.That will be Friday....
Wy and I took our daily walk after dinner last night and it was a much cooler,nicer time to get out and about.. All was quiet in our neck of the woods last night ,which could not be said of last week....
And now it is off to the eye doctor for check ups for both of us today...and then off to work I go....

Many Things At Once

So much action swirling around us..
We are now used to a quiet life ,[Lets say had gotten use to]
but as of this week that has really changed...
Well really, this whole new year has been an adventure in Change...
I am just trying to hang on and go with the flow...
We made the decision to get the huge soaker tub with two steps up,out of the master bath...Who needs two tubs to scrub??? Not Me...
And so it starts.. remodeling...
We are going to a new shower instead...
At the same time I decided to work on...
organize all my art tools and supplies...
I first had to do some putting together, not my strong suit but I did good on these....So happy with the New art carts ..Sad to see the original go but way past time.
Anyway Change is Always Good???? Right???

oops I did it again.

 Ok this time I did some thing different again, as in signing up for the Amazing Race Art Journaling challenge... What???
I do sketchbooks but I have not exactly journaled before..
 The challenge starts on April 11th so anyone out there who would like to join, just check it out and sign up... It should be fun....
I spent today working on my Fine Art America sight and adding three pieces there too...
It is fun,busy, creative times here, in this little part of this great big world...

I AM EXHAUSTED

Today was my very first trip to IKEA and man what a store.
I left home with Amy and Jalyn at noon and got home after six thirty...
We ate lunch before we started our journey for the strength it takes to shop until you drop.
Much stimulation and visual over load... with many, many other people but FUN FUN FUN...
It really gets the creative juices flowing...
NOW I HAVE A FEW THINGS TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT TOGETHER, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN...
I bought stuff to help organize my studio..and hope to have photos sometime soon..

Geraniums on the last day of this month

What???
Dead head,But still pretty.
A bit of house keeping to keep the blooms coming from these great plants...
I am again working on getting my ETSY shop ready . They are changing the format and giving us all a chance for a brand new look that will be presented on April 5th.
I ,of course do not know exactly what I am doing but am game to try anyway ..I added two paintings so far to bring my total right now to 16 on the site...Hope to add more as we go along...
I will be sharing when it is ready...
Hope you all have a great weekend....

Easter's on it's way

How did it get to be the middle of March already???
 It is Spring break for the children here and the weather has really been nice.....
I finished the Antique Adirondack chair and table,and was able to get them placed on the front porch,but am having lots of problems getting the pictures from flicker [I know it is not spelled like this but it keeps saying it is miss spelled so I gave in]
to blog spot! ...
I have not had pictures for the last few blog posts because I have not figured out how to get them from there to here....
.... so frustrating .
I was also able to get a painting finished just for me, just for the fun of it,using mostly the palette knife...I really had fun with it and helped me feel that spring is really coming.....[Unable to retrieve picture]
Last night I got the eagle hung up and out of the closet and I am happy about that...
Anyway  on with this beautiful day... Hope yours is the best day ever.....
Happy Easter To All....

New Month Lots Of Changes

March has started out with the most beautiful weather..
How Thankful am I to live in Florida....
More Thankful then you can imagine...
I have had three days in a row off and have been able to be out and about for a good bit of it...
We went to eat lunch at Rick's on the river, with family...Yummy!!!
Saw the new water Taxi's,dropping people off there and loading for the next trip down the river to see our great city from the water view...
I want to do this one day soon ... it looks like such a peaceful ride....
Yesterday we headed to Tarpon Springs, and after lunch at The Rusty Belly ,we stopped at Tampa Bay salvage ...
It is just down the road a bit... so many great things to see...  
Too bad we just downsized ,no room for anything, but so much fun to look and wander ,while it is not  hot out....
Anyway, I am off to work and wish all a happy day....

Happy Valentines Day

Hope all have a wonderful day....
I am working double shifts all weekend, which you all know, is more fun than work to me....
Next weekend I have off and we are going to see friends at the beach.... It has been way to long since we have done both so,we are really looking forward to a good time....

Winter in Florida

We finally have some cooler weather for more then two days in a row...It has been almost a week of waking up to temperatures in the 40s.. 42 today...
February is winter in Fla....
Life has been busy as always but I am thankful that all is going well so far....
2016 started off a bit rough, but hopefully is getting better as days go by...
Peewee and Molly both had teeth cleanings this last week and Peewee had 4 teeth pulled, but he is thankfully doing well...
Our Washington family members, [a four year old] has been taking part in a Read-A-Thon and have completed 63 books so far and they still have three days to go...Pretty good  I say....
It was the Florida family's birthday week...Happy Birthday guys.....
I am still working on the antique Adirondack chair of Pop Pop's, and a table that Pat found by the side of the road and brought me to paint...[ how many years ago????], as a set for my new front porch...
I am having fun with it, but it is taking time ...
I can not paint on them everyday....but I am moving right along....