some traditions are worth preserving....

I have put this Santa out since it was given to me when I was about 6 years old. Somewhere along the way he lost his hat. But he is charming just the same. Out of curiosity I went to EBAY and saw several Steiff Santas there. I wonder how many years they have been making this Santa. He is indeed a jolly fellow.

The holidays are filled with traditions in this family...one of them is all going together to pick out the Christmas tree. We got a beauty this year...can't wait to get the decorations on it. Thanks to Jesse's long arms, we were able to get this family tree shopping portrait.

Because of my English heritage, since I was a child I carried with me the European tradition of the Advent Calender. Veronica and I would trade days and open the chocolates behind each window. I loved how it counted down the days...I carried this tradition into the lives of my kids and we had an Advent Calender with small doors that opened to reveal a teeny ornament behind each day. Becca and Jesse would trade off days each morning in December.

Several years ago I created an Advent Calender with glass tags...and now I am the one counting down the days till Christmas morning... Here are the tags I made...25 of them in all...

I think it is traditions like these that keep the magic in Christmas... yes...some traditions are worth preserving....

all dolled up and christmas to go...

I had my hair cut today where this mannequin sat looking so coy and ready to party, I just had to take a picture of her.
It's beginning to look a bit like Christmas around the house. I have the garland and wreaths up and I think we'll be getting our tree next week. Then there will be more decorating to do. I've been listening to Christmas music every morning with my cup of coffee...just to get into the spirit. I love Christmas music, though the song "Christmas Shoes" is so sad...I prefer thinking of chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

On the home front....
Jesse's back from Texas...Yahoo...here he is on the set dressed up in Bicentennial garb with Dylan Sprouse in the new movie "The Kings of Appleton". If you don't know who the Sprouse twins are...ask a preteen....

and The Girls Next Door Season 4 the show on which Becca is a Story Producer, airs this coming Sunday, Dec. 9th on E channel, check your local listings...Being she's working right now in reality television, the strike is not affecting her...but it sure is affecting others I know.
I have a bit of a sniffly nose, thanks to this crazy weather we're having in LA. It was nice we got some rain today, but yesterday it was all hot and not at all like winter. I wish we had seasons here...though I bet all of you who are buried in snow right now are longing for our LA sunshine, so I better be careful what I wish for...

Well, there's plenty of holiday parties coming up...plus Mah Jongg, a trip to Balboa and Pirate Times to celebrate my nephews 16th birthday.... So much to do...so little time. I better get going...

cupcakes, champagne & jingle all the way...

It was a fun weekend, and now I am really in the spirit. Starting with an appearance at Sweetpeas and Snapshots on Saturday to sign my books... Mary at Sweetpeas & Snapshots
To the book signing at Stamp Your Heart Out on Sunday...
I had a great time at both stores...thanks to owners Mary and Joan and their terrific helpers. Both of these ladies have beautiful stores just bursting with holiday spirit and irresistible artful goodies...Thanks to all who came out and had a chat with me.
Now I have to buckle down and do some not so serious holiday decorating!

Joan at Stamp Your Art Out

the rain has stopped...come out and play!

If you're in the area, drop in and say hi to me at these groovy locations. I'll be doing book signings of "Mixed Emulsions" & "In This House"...I plan to bring some of the houses from "In This House" so you can see them up close and personal. I don't think there will be tea...but I hear they are serving champagne tomorrow...so come on by...
December 1, 2007 - Saturday - 11:00 - 2:00
SWEETPEAS & SNAPSHOTS
11726 West Pico Blvd Los Angeles, California
www.sweetpeasandsnapshots.com
*****
December 2, 2007 - Sunday - 3:00 PM
STAMP YOUR HEART OUT
141-C Harvard Blvd. Claremont, California 91711
www.stampyourheart.com

secrets from a kitty...

if you have a feline...you will relate...

art play

The Thanksgiving weekend is coming to a close, which means Christmas and various other winter holidays will be upon us before we know it. I have many things on my agenda to finish up before the year is through. It's also time to find those ornaments and decorations to deck the halls once again. There's something exciting about this time of year...the secret is not to let the holidays overwhelm you...I'll see if I can stick to that bit of advice as the 25th draws closer.

In the meantime I thought I would post some of my art that has appeared in some publications lately. In Somerset Gallery they printed a collaborative swap I was in, hosted by my pal Sarah Fishburn called the Funky Fold Alphabet Book. I was the letter 'M' for Music. It was a terrific swap, and I have it hanging in my studio.It says on the cover it is the Winter 08 Issue.


Click here to see the whole article

Also in this issue are some inked notecards I had given to them nearly 3 years ago. (Which goes to show, you never know if they will finally print something they have had in their possession for awhile.)

And in this brand new magazine called "Artist Cafe" they reprinted my article called "Pieced in Color" which was first published in the March/April Issue in 2005. Artist Cafe is a very cool magazine with what they consider the Best of Somerset Studios. There are some cool articles in it if you may have missed from the past. I was honored that my article was chosen to be in the premiere issue. It hits newstands December 1st 2007. Or you can order it here.
Also keep a checking back for when Pasticcio Issue 2 will be available. It won't be long now...and it's a super sized issue stuffed fatter than a holiday stocking!
It's not snowing here in LA like it is up north in Colorado...but it's cold right now. Think I'll go put some socks on...

the dance lesson...

we are grateful...

We are grateful we're not turkeys...

My Thanksgiving greeting was created with

a little photoshop magic...
The original artwork "September Song"

appears in the month of September
in the Timeless Creations 2008 Calender.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving...and remember the things you're grateful for...

I don't think of it as working for world peace, he said.
I think of it as just trying to get along in a really big strange family.
Brian Andreas

party on...

The Lomo Exhibit opens tomorrow night at A Studio Gallery. It's our last exhibit of 2007. It's a fine display of Lomographic photography from 12 photographers. The show runs through January 6, 2008. Come on by for a look. It's a great deal...8x10 framed lomo photographs on fiber paper for $100.00! The perfect gift for that photo lover in your family this holiday season. But first, tonight, there is an exhibit at the Mainstream Gallery, where 27 photographers are showing 1 photo each of their photography. I have a piece that will be showing here, and will be at the opening.

So come on by and kick of the holiday season!

where in the world is will and penny...

We're doing the radio show "Coast to Coast" with George Noory...reminiscing about "Lost In Space", bloops and Dr. Smith...

Gina, me, George & Bill

prism break...

This morning as I walked by the hallway, I watched the prisms playing on the floor...It's a piece of a rainbow...
right there at my feet...
Even Kachina and Payton had prisms in there eyes this morning...
Since the disappointing news that '24' will not be returning in January 2008...I have had to satisfy my adventurous craving with 'Prison Break' on FoxTV. If I can't have the '24' rush, I have found this show to be the next best thing...What will happen now that Michael Scofield is not behind prison walls anymore...? What will happen to Linc's son? Sarah... is she really dead? It's all too much sometimes...

A friend of my sisters is on a cruise and sent these along. The dining room walls on 'The Mariner of the Seas' cruise ship has a "Sound of Music' theme...amazing no?


Every day is an adventure....

puzzle me this...

Somerset Memories has a Call to Creativity Challenge based on my mini self portrait (above) that appeared in the August/September issue of the magazine.
Here's the challenge below...I hope you'll submit your self portraits and maybe get published!

Mini-Mosaic Self-Portrait Puzzles
In August/September 2007 issue Somerset Memories (page 44), artist Angela Cartwright
showed us that self portraits can be very revealing. Trying to express who you were and who you’ve become can be a fun and exposing challenge.

What can you come up with when you combine the “young you” and the“adult you?” Using a tiny canvas and photographs of yourself at different ages, along with your unique creativity, we invite you to show your own personal mini self-portrait puzzles.

To be considered for publication in Somerset Memories, clearly label your artwork and attach it to your artwork. and submit your mini self-portraits to:

Somerset Memories, Mini Self Portraits
22992 Mill Creek, Suite B
Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Include brief instructions, materials used and a few sentences about your inspiration, feelings or thoughts about your piece. Results will be published in the June/July 2008 issue.
Deadline for artwork to be received: January 11, 2008.

the unruly factor

This last Friday found me at Fox TV making an appearance on "American Icons" a segment of the "The O'Reilly Factor". The interview took place by satellite and will be in the last 10 minutes of his Friday show. I think it will air on either the 23rd or the 30th of this month.They will show lots of clips and I am looking forward to what they dig up from Danny Thomas, Sound of Music and Lost In Space.

Speaking of Lost In Space...Last week Kevin Burns threw a birthday remembrance with the Lost In Space group to celebrate the birthday of the late Gertrude Harris, Jonathan Harris' wife. A year before we had all celebrated her special day with a lovely dinner, and we decided to remember her on her actual birthday this year...same time, same place. I will miss her lovely, vibrant personality, she was a doll.

Here's Kevin Burns with Bill Mumy, his son Seth and his daughter Liliana.
And the lovely Marta Kristen (Judy on Lost In Space) with her husband Kevin Kane.

And here is Gertrude with Kevin Burns at her Birthday Party in 2006.
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I realized I had promised ages ago that I would blog my freshly painted dining room once it was finished.

So come on in...

I used Modern Masters 'Champagne' paint on the walls. This paint is infused with real minerals which reflects light in the most amazing way. During the day this room it's one color, but a mystical look takes over this room at night and by candlelight it is very flattering.




The floor is a multi colored slate, framed with tiles made from a series of photographs of flowers from my 'Picture Poetry' collection.




This large painting in my dining room is by artist Nila Barja...I just love the colors.
And for those of you who inquired...I found Coco Cellini hiding in my cupboard...