Beautiful Rhode Island

Zipped over to Rhode Island to visit my friend, Linda, for a week. She told me her husband was going out of town and did I want to come? Yeah, duh! We had a lot of fun together. We decided first off that we wanted to create Garden angels, which somehow we started calling our Garden Druids. Pretty much we worked on them almost the whole week (a little bit on them every day and then running out to shop, eat, beach it, etc. ) So it was a nice combo of doing a variety of things. We used a lot of organic items on them found at the beach or things we'd been saving "for just the right project". 

Here's mine at home in her new spot on the back porch: 

We hit the beach a few times looking for treasures, driftwood and taking pictures of the wildlife, rock stacking : 

Watched an Osprey momma feeding her crew

We also made our own upcycled dream catchers: 

and did some dyeing:

and lastly, you know i like my critters. they were to be seen everywhere!

we made the most of our time while enjoying art, friendship, cocktails, beautiful weather, nature and wildlife. couldn't have asked for a nicer more spontaneous vacation!

Cape May for the day

yesterday i drove down to Cape May (furthest southern point in New Jersey), a charming Victorian town on the water. Jane was staying there for the weekend with her daughter Claudia and her sister Jenn. We had a wonderful day (albeit a SWELTERING hot one at over 100 degrees). we spent alot of time in the water or under the umbrellas. we took a nice walk and even found ourselves a few heart shape rocks.

when we had enough of the heat on the beach, we headed back to their hotel to jump in the pool for awhile. the pool water was warm, but it felt good to cool down (since i won't go past my knees in the ocean - too cold for me!)

after we all showered up, we did a little shopping and then enjoy a delicious Italian dinner. Then it was time for me to head home (Jane generously invited me to stay over, but i am so anti-traffic that the thought of getting trapped in Sunday traffic persuaded me otherwise!) I got home around 12:30am, read for a little bit and then hit the hay.






















update - this is fun, i found one of my photos on this blog today:
http://bloggingcapemay.blogspot.com

another snow storm

this was how some snow drifted onto a tree limb- i noticed it from my kitchen window. i love how it looks like a heart.
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(this is a funny picture of pepper who came outside to use the bathroom and then immediately turned around and ran back into the house!)

well, we are right in the middle of another snow storm. i took a bunch of pictures outside during a slight let up and then i ran down to the beach (with Gracie) to take some photos down there. i've always wanted to see the beach during a snow storm and it was really beautiful. so quiet; hardly a soul there besides grace and i.

after leaving the beach, i took a side street that runs along lake como; a pretty area that i often take photos at. so i made a pit stop to grab a photo opp of a tree and bench next to the lake. i left grace in the car and told her i'd be right back. well, grace freaked out and some how managed to lock the car door! inside the car were my purse, cell phone and extra set of keys! yikes! i walked a few houses down and found someone home (the beach is deserted in the winter!) told them what happened, etc. called jeff, called AAA and then the police. the police arrived first with a sour policeman chastising me for "not picking a better day" (yeah, right buddy) and then was complaining how gracie was in the way to him seeing the lock. so i went to the other side of the car in hopes of getting her to go to that window instead and when she flew over, she managed to roll down the window a bit! yahoo. i quickly stuck my hand through the little gap she made (thank god for skinny arms and long fingers) and then managed to reach and unlock the door. pwhew! what an adventure. i have to say the couple who let me in to use the phone, was so nice and i am really grateful that they were so helpful.

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anyway, here's the picture i just had to stop for (that caused all the grief!)

cadillac beach ride

caddy ride! (just so you know, i'm the one who has always worn hats and then i buy cool ones for jeff to wear!)

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LOVE this jetty area. there is an egret i like to photograph who hangs out under the bridge there. he literally just flew off as i approached! bugger!

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beach shot -jeff walking behind me. he was brave as the water was cold. there is no way i'd put me toes in there! (yes, i am a wimp with cold water, don't like it at all!)

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this is a feature in my new camera that i was trying - panaroma. you take two pictures and then the camera combines them for you. not a great shot, but i was experimenting.

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the Least Tern

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geeselets and parental units

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found this darling little egg on the way home after photographing some Canadian geese babies.

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we have an old cadillac. not sure the year - from the 70's i'm sure. it's not "classic" nor has it be redone to restore it's original splendor. it's faded blue and a bit rusted. but it runs and it is sweet. we take it out in the summers and we go to breakfast, the flea market on drives, etc. tucker loves to go for rides in the "caddy". well today after i heard that MORE rain was headed our way, i took a "personal day" (from my studio, lol) and told my husband, we are heading out while it is sunny!

so we hopped in the caddy and headed over to Avon beach where we like to have breakfast at the Av Pav (avon pavilion). it's right on the boardwalk looking at the beach). we had a lovely breakfast, then took a walk on the beach. after our walk we went to check on the "Least Terns", an endangered bird who are back nesting at Fishermen's cove. it was a nice day. i'll post a pic of the caddy later, since after we got home, it started sprinkling and we had to put the tarp over it (oh, yeah, the roof leaks!)

back home, but not for long

I am home. got in tonight around 6:30. what a long day! i've unpacked, did my laundry and then repacked again because i leave on Wed. for Artnsoul in Virgina, where i am selling at vendor night. after i return home, whatever jewelry did not sell i will be adding to my new website (finally)! seriously, between the laptop crash, this show and going to cali, i just haven't had the time to work on my website. but it is my # 1 goal upon returning (that and working on some online classes). i received an exciting email while i was away saying my submission to Belle Amoire jewelry had been accepted and will be in the September 2009 issue - yay, clap, clap! (i'm excited)

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here is a class picture from this weekend, hijacked from my new friend and classmate, Julie Prichard. it was a really great group of girls, very laid back, no drama, lots of sharing and caring. we had good food and the company of sweet Gigi who received so much attention. i believe we wore Gigi out! i took so many pictures of Gigi - i feel like a stalker. but every pose Gigi made was adorable, so i couldn't help it. i'm a sucker for cutie patooties! i found it interesting that 4 of the women there (including myself) have special needs children. one of the gals was really cool. her name is Lisa and i overheard her mentioning something, so i called her over and began grilling her. it turns out that Lisa decided to quit her job, get rid of most of her possessions and start living an artful life. she's traveling her car where she sleeps at campgrounds. Suzi's class was the first stop on her interesting adventure. i just think that sounds so fun. i invited her to New Jersey and do hope she takes me up on it. So did anyone see me on the streaming live video that Suzi had going during class? Deidra emailed me and said she saw me when i was wearing my blue mermaid wig!

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after class was over on the 2nd day, anyone who wasn't hitting the road headed to the beach, which was beautiful. perfect conditions: warm, no wind, sunny - it was lovely. from there my cute little friend, Kelly Snelling, called. we had made dinner plans with her and Ruth Rae, so me, Becci and Julie met them for sushi. it was a lovely dinner and the perfect way to end my time in San Diego.

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Patti and i channel our inner mermaids. (i'm a hollywood mermaid with the glam glasses) i made that crown with real shells and it was heavy!

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here is my piece from class. i still have some work to finish up on it. i wasn't getting the whole "shading" concept very well, so need to do more shading on her face before i beeswax the whole surface. oh, and i have to add my words too. i have so many more pictures, but for tonight, i'll leave you with this one of Gigi: