Thursday, November 25, 2010
Hope you Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving
Had a bit of a relapse...am hoping this is the end of the three-month saga of the unknown virus....Meantime, I am back to wish ya'll a blessed, happy, safe, loving, yummy Thanksgiving.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Better!!!!
I woke up this morning, and for the first time in nearly two months, nothing hurt! Okay, I had a little, teeny-tiny sore throat and headache, along with the remains of months of muscle pain, but for the most part...I AM BETTER!!! I am so grateful that I am finally (hopefully) over the worst of a terrible virus....I thought about my wonderful friend, Ginna, who didn't get well...I think of her so often. I lost my friend to cancer (please don't smoke) six years ago. I gave her this photograph (framed), that I took and hand-colored to hang by her bed while she was sick. After she passed, I don't know who ended up with it, but I have this, and the memory of a wonderful, funny, woman, who graced my life for many years....Anyway, this is for Ginna.
I entitled this "Ginna's Hat".....so, my chain-smoking, Diet Pepsi guzzling, wize-cracking friend, I hope you are looking down from wherever and saying, "that's enough, Jessica, move on"....
I am feeling "romantic", and thought that since I haven't had the energy to photograph much about me these past months, I'd put some of my "Romantic America" photography series I did several years ago. Those were the days, when you shot actual film, in black-and-white, then you sepia-toned it....today, with my wonderful, new digital camera, I can push a button, and "viola", sepia..or black-and-white....never will replace the hand-colored, though...(yes, I know about Photoshop, thankyou)..
"Once I had a farm in Africa"...nope, that was Karen Blixen/Iasic Dennison, I once had a farm in Wisconsin - now, we live in Texas. I had a lovely, 4,000 square-foot garden, which I tended with love. Lot's of flowers, and an apple tree, where I loved to lie under (when I wasn't weeding), reading books, and enjoying a summer that wasn't 107 degrees for months on end. If you double-click on the photo, you will see there is an ant on the apple..for some reason, that delighted me (it doesn't take much, does it)?
I wish I still had this basket...I used to haul around a family of kittens, born in our barn...we had five, and are down to two, fourteen-year old babies...that's how I date this photo...
And then, just like "The Wizard of Oz", it springs to life in "Technicolor"....The quilt is in tatters now (I photographed many babies on it, which meant many washings), and the farm is a distant memory...I've moved on...
And now, it's autumn in Texas (this corn was on the door to my gallery in Wisconsin), and I don't mind the cooler weather a bit. In fact, I might even take a walk today! Happy Fall!!!
I entitled this "Ginna's Hat".....so, my chain-smoking, Diet Pepsi guzzling, wize-cracking friend, I hope you are looking down from wherever and saying, "that's enough, Jessica, move on"....
I am feeling "romantic", and thought that since I haven't had the energy to photograph much about me these past months, I'd put some of my "Romantic America" photography series I did several years ago. Those were the days, when you shot actual film, in black-and-white, then you sepia-toned it....today, with my wonderful, new digital camera, I can push a button, and "viola", sepia..or black-and-white....never will replace the hand-colored, though...(yes, I know about Photoshop, thankyou)..
"Once I had a farm in Africa"...nope, that was Karen Blixen/Iasic Dennison, I once had a farm in Wisconsin - now, we live in Texas. I had a lovely, 4,000 square-foot garden, which I tended with love. Lot's of flowers, and an apple tree, where I loved to lie under (when I wasn't weeding), reading books, and enjoying a summer that wasn't 107 degrees for months on end. If you double-click on the photo, you will see there is an ant on the apple..for some reason, that delighted me (it doesn't take much, does it)?
I wish I still had this basket...I used to haul around a family of kittens, born in our barn...we had five, and are down to two, fourteen-year old babies...that's how I date this photo...
And then, just like "The Wizard of Oz", it springs to life in "Technicolor"....The quilt is in tatters now (I photographed many babies on it, which meant many washings), and the farm is a distant memory...I've moved on...
And now, it's autumn in Texas (this corn was on the door to my gallery in Wisconsin), and I don't mind the cooler weather a bit. In fact, I might even take a walk today! Happy Fall!!!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Beside the Bed.....a Take on Bedside Tables
As many of you may know, I have been ill....for two months...but, I am slowly getting better. At least my energy levels are beginning to improve, which is good, as it does take time and energy to blog.
I have noticed that several of my favorite bloggers are either shutting down their blogs, or at least, taking a break. I totally understand, as it takes a great deal of time and energy. We all have lives, (at least I had one, now, trying to regain it). This said, I don't feel quite as guilty about not being around, but I do enjoy blogging. I just have been sort of throwing what I have up there, and I can't see blogging, if you don't give it your best effort.
I have shown my bedroom before, but I am concentrating on my bedside table..I have spent many hours, reading and sleeping lately, and my bedside table has become a place to gather some of my favorite things. It's one of the first things I see in the morning, and last at night.
My table is really a folding-wrought iron base, with a filagree top, that I got at good old TJMax a million years ago. I put a piece of glass over it, and it serves me well. A table that size with a solid top would feel too large for the space.
The elephant lamp is very old; in fact, the shade (which I loved), is a linen, box-pleated ivory-colored shade, but the liner just shattered one day. I have saved the shade and hope to eventually, find a new liner, or place it over a neutral shade a size smaller. In the meantime, I have this brocade shade over it from another lamp (which died, and became a candle-holder). It is too short, but I don't want to add fringe to lenghten it, as it would feel too heavy. I will eventually find a lamp in the right proportion for it.
The hand-painted black-and-white photo is by me. I was doing a portrait of a young girl, and loved the lace and the position of her feet. I call it "Porch Feet"...I used some skeletonized leaves in the matting.
Notice that I have a very important tool....a backscratcher! My husband is a sweetie-pie, but he's the world's worst back scratcher (I mean, what are husbands for, if not to scratch you where it itches)? My cats also love it. Since my gray cat, Gussie, went blind, she can still find her way to my bed, and she loves having the sides of her face scratched with it. Raisen, the black cat, likes it, but prefers to gnaw on it once he becomes bored with being scratched...
The satin-covered round box holds jewelry. I seem to have jewelry boxes all over the place, and need to spend a day, editing, repairing, and repurposing. I like to take pieces apart, especially, old, faux pearls and using them differently.
I hate my alarm clock radio, but it won't die. It's probably twenty years old; still, I can't justify getting rid of it.
This sweet, strawberry glass dish belonged to my Grandmother Julia, as did the heart-shaped, paper box. The top to the box eventually was lost, but I put my wedding rings in it at night. My rings once belonged to my husband's Nana Rose, so two grandmothers are sort of "introduced" each night. I made the bracelet from faux pearls, crystals, and a lovely, antique button, that was given to me by my mother-in-law. I treasure them all.
I love my bookends; another great find from TJMaxx...$12.00! I know there are those who say to never tell what you paid for something, but I am the "Bargain Queen", so I like to "crow" about my finds!
My mother-in-law is appalled that I let my box (with a Rhino on the top) tarnish so, but, there are some things I prefer in tarnished silver, especially, silverplate, as one shouldn't polish it too often anyway. I think it looks wonderful the way it is. Secret - it contains a box of vaseline, that fits perfectly in it. I use it on my feet before I go to sleep at night.
This bookcase was orginally bright blue...painted it black. And yes, the candle is crooked..the lamp was the one to which I referred earlier. Someday, it may become a lamp again. I love marquetry frames, and I treasure my family photos. No, my mother was not really resisting arrest; (policemen don't usually turn their caps backward) rather, she was a dispatcher in the 1950's, and they were horsing around. She was so beautiful. 
Okay, this is not the bedside table, but as is the bookcase, a view from my bed. I painted the foxes; I call it "Foxes and Fireflies". Theya re competing for the last bunch of grapes. I love my settee, which I have had forever.
There you have it...sort of like, "how I spent my summer vacation", but where I've been spending most of my time for two months.
I have noticed that several of my favorite bloggers are either shutting down their blogs, or at least, taking a break. I totally understand, as it takes a great deal of time and energy. We all have lives, (at least I had one, now, trying to regain it). This said, I don't feel quite as guilty about not being around, but I do enjoy blogging. I just have been sort of throwing what I have up there, and I can't see blogging, if you don't give it your best effort.
I have shown my bedroom before, but I am concentrating on my bedside table..I have spent many hours, reading and sleeping lately, and my bedside table has become a place to gather some of my favorite things. It's one of the first things I see in the morning, and last at night.
My table is really a folding-wrought iron base, with a filagree top, that I got at good old TJMax a million years ago. I put a piece of glass over it, and it serves me well. A table that size with a solid top would feel too large for the space.
The elephant lamp is very old; in fact, the shade (which I loved), is a linen, box-pleated ivory-colored shade, but the liner just shattered one day. I have saved the shade and hope to eventually, find a new liner, or place it over a neutral shade a size smaller. In the meantime, I have this brocade shade over it from another lamp (which died, and became a candle-holder). It is too short, but I don't want to add fringe to lenghten it, as it would feel too heavy. I will eventually find a lamp in the right proportion for it.
The hand-painted black-and-white photo is by me. I was doing a portrait of a young girl, and loved the lace and the position of her feet. I call it "Porch Feet"...I used some skeletonized leaves in the matting.
Notice that I have a very important tool....a backscratcher! My husband is a sweetie-pie, but he's the world's worst back scratcher (I mean, what are husbands for, if not to scratch you where it itches)? My cats also love it. Since my gray cat, Gussie, went blind, she can still find her way to my bed, and she loves having the sides of her face scratched with it. Raisen, the black cat, likes it, but prefers to gnaw on it once he becomes bored with being scratched... The satin-covered round box holds jewelry. I seem to have jewelry boxes all over the place, and need to spend a day, editing, repairing, and repurposing. I like to take pieces apart, especially, old, faux pearls and using them differently.
I hate my alarm clock radio, but it won't die. It's probably twenty years old; still, I can't justify getting rid of it.
This sweet, strawberry glass dish belonged to my Grandmother Julia, as did the heart-shaped, paper box. The top to the box eventually was lost, but I put my wedding rings in it at night. My rings once belonged to my husband's Nana Rose, so two grandmothers are sort of "introduced" each night. I made the bracelet from faux pearls, crystals, and a lovely, antique button, that was given to me by my mother-in-law. I treasure them all.
I love my bookends; another great find from TJMaxx...$12.00! I know there are those who say to never tell what you paid for something, but I am the "Bargain Queen", so I like to "crow" about my finds!
My mother-in-law is appalled that I let my box (with a Rhino on the top) tarnish so, but, there are some things I prefer in tarnished silver, especially, silverplate, as one shouldn't polish it too often anyway. I think it looks wonderful the way it is. Secret - it contains a box of vaseline, that fits perfectly in it. I use it on my feet before I go to sleep at night.This is one of my favorite photos, (and frame) of my husband, Bob -bottem, and our friends, Maggie and David..The are on the diving board ladder of their swimming pool. He's still very handsome..only now, he has white hair. I collect scotties, and I love these. I especially love the big guy, who glows in the dark!
This bookcase was orginally bright blue...painted it black. And yes, the candle is crooked..the lamp was the one to which I referred earlier. Someday, it may become a lamp again. I love marquetry frames, and I treasure my family photos. No, my mother was not really resisting arrest; (policemen don't usually turn their caps backward) rather, she was a dispatcher in the 1950's, and they were horsing around. She was so beautiful.
Okay, this is not the bedside table, but as is the bookcase, a view from my bed. I painted the foxes; I call it "Foxes and Fireflies". Theya re competing for the last bunch of grapes. I love my settee, which I have had forever.
There you have it...sort of like, "how I spent my summer vacation", but where I've been spending most of my time for two months.
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