Beginning and Freedom

She's done! Last night I witnessed my little cousin walk across that stage and straight into her adulthood. It's liberating and frightening but luckily she has strong neck and a fierce support system. This fall she'll move to Arkansas where she will become a Harding Bison. I'm going to miss her like crazy. but I'm sure proud of the dear! Congratulations and wipe that worried look off of your face! You're free, now fly! XoXo

Spicy Island Gingerbread

Yesterday evening started off lazy and managed to build until I was busting my hump over a toasty oven. It was lovely. When I arrived home I was feeling worn out. I grabbed a book and sat still for a brief moment. Then, I had a visitor. It was off to McNellies for $3 burger night and that's when I was done for. Up until midnight (or later). After dinner, I came home and decided to tear up the kitchen. I've been collecting ingredients for a Spicy Island Gingerbread recipe from the last book I read and last night I was prepared. This book made me want to run away to the Caribbeans and never look back. On top of a romantic, cruise, Ann Vanderhoof provided island recipes to compliment each anchorage they stopped in at the end of every chapter. Her 'Spicy Island Gingerbread' was intense in ingredients and flavor but well worth the effort. It includes nearly every medium of ginger imaginable: ginger beer, grated fresh ginger root, crystallized ginger and ground ginger etc. A moist and fragrant cake/bread with just the right amount of bite, I'm pleased. The island approves! Another success in the kitchen!

Handwritten

This week I dished out several apologies. Even through my sincerity, I could still feel the disappointment and shock from those involved in my poor planning. I needed advice and I got it. I chose wisely, called a seasoned and deeply moral lady, she suggested I write them a handwritten note expressing my regret. Genius! I took it a step further and customized them with some water colors. Late nights in the kitchen with a large palette. A fan of expensive cameras and photography. 2010, 6.2 L SS Camaro. Burn rubber!Endless coffee and donuts stacked sky high. Typical office.

I think they were a hit. Hopefully they got the point across and perhaps forgiveness and acceptance are on the way. Luckily, I think the disappointment that resonated in the room was centered around the nature of the information and not the poor circumstances in which it was disclosed. A little cryptic, but basically, 'the cat's out of the bag.' I'll further explain in due time, for now, enjoy a little art.

Following Directions

Recently, I have made some bad decisions at the cost of others. I've been a bit careless but I'm overwhelmed and can't possibly spend ample time on every issue at hand. Part of being a 'grown up' is figuring out how to fix things when you didn't handle them right to begin with. That starts with acceptance. In my case, I've laid pride aside, admitted guild and baked. It's the least I could do. I stole this recipe and cooked it up last night. I didn't have any walnuts on hand so I used almonds instead. They pair nicely with the carrots. As with the garden, I was surprised by my success in the kitchen. I'm on a domestic role!These are beautiful, fluffy and vegan! Most importantly, they are tasty and substantial. They were a breeze to make and I can't wait to switch up the ingredients. This whole domestic aura is a little fishy. Maybe it's the house goddess pulling my heart strings? Either way, I dig it, I'm going to continue to run with it. Now, I just need some open minded eaters!

Fruiting

My thumb is going green. Maybe. I shouldn't get to lippy, might jinx my garden luck. A novice and ill educated gardener, I planted winter and summer plants. I haphazardly water and weed and it's a miracle the plants are still alive much less thriving! When I began my garden I didn't plan very well and I also didn't study cultivation or harvesting methods. Who knew these things could be some complicated! Believe it or not,my peppers are almost ready and I believe my spinach is edible. Some creature has already begun to take advantage. Tomatoes on the vine! I'm a pepper! Japs for everyone!

I can't wait to clip my fruits and devour. I just hope they are ready before it's time for me to depart my Norman residence. My house,my garden, my earth will have one last hurrah! I'll take advantage of it and it will smile back with a tear in it's eye! Many sacrifices and bumps lie ahead but eventually I'll have larger fruit and I can appreciate it because of the effort. Full circle.

Summer Breeze 2010

It's that time again! It seemed centuries away throughout our long, dark, winter but alas, summer breeze concert season is full swing. Last Sunday marked the first show of the season. Who better than Norman's own, Hosty Duo. A living small town legend, Hosty Duo drew quite a crowd. Groups of people flocked to Lyon's park, lawn chairs and cold beer all around. It was an incredible May evening. While the Duo offers a knee slappin' set, I'm still hung up on Hosty solo-one man band. The drummer, Mike Byars knows a thing or two about drums but he's also nice to look at. Lots o' folks-Norman's finest. Apparently the dress of choice is tie-die. Even though I missed the memo I felt at ease. They're lovers.

Next show is June 6 with Elephant Revival. Hopefully we can have a repeat in weather, either way I'm there! Summer is here!

Swappy Swap

The wonderful world of flikr granted me the opportunity to participate in a needlework swap. I love swaps and having organized one, I can fully appreciate them. I mailed my contribution to Sarasota Flordia last Saturday. The theme of the swap was 'Zen.' Quite general, I look forward to seeing the interpretations. My initial thought was predator and prey as friends. Lion and lamb nestled closely. Or, hawk and bunny frolicking through green grass. A bit cliche, I wanted to take it closer to the edge. After a little brainstorming among friends, I came up with this: "Zen is an elderly praying mantis couple" A bit grim if you consider it doesn't happen in nature, making peace unreachable. Oh well, symbolism and reality are my thing. Take it or leave it. This afternoon I came home to a package! My loots! Check it out: Zen as told by Giggly Mama. The colors are fabulous and style and craftsmanship is impeccable. A real success! Well done.Swap magic!

Tulsa Gold

So I've been pretty secretive lately. I'm busy as well as overwhelmed with life altering decisions. In regards, I've failed at my quest to become more open but it's all for the sake of luck. I don't want to throw it out when I just have to reel it back in. One thing I can safely (and proudly say) is I have made the commitment! I'm officially a Tulsa Golden Hurricane!YAY!

One of the things I accomplished last Friday was enrollment. I'm excited and worried. There are so many things that hinge upon this decisions, lots to do. It's going to be a crazy summer. I have a lot to discuss, in due time. Hope you're around!

Gilcrease Gardens

Hi there! It's been awhile. A lot has happened. As the sun burns brighter and daylight last longer, my plate fills. It's an endless buffet and I have to try everything. I'm a glutton-always to much on my plate. Last Friday I had some Tulsa business to conduct. One of my appointments entertained the idea of a picnic. Since I never leave home without an ice chest I had decided to stock it full of OK coop loot and hit the highway. Midday I headed over to the Gilcrease. I had about an hour and half to spare so I moseyed around the gardens and snacked. It was humid and scorching but beautiful. An eternal view.Friday afternoon, no director, all is well?As you may know, I'm a sucker for the Philbrook but the more I visit the Gilcrease, the more I understand. The Philbrook garden is hard to top, the Gilcrease garden is worth mentioning.Occasionally I stop to smell the flowers. It's rare but surprisingly relaxing. A mini nature hike. It has winding trails that span a hillside. Heavily wooded with just a touch of maintenance makes it feel natural. Aside from the buzz of several mowers, the garden was perfect. Bugs were humming, butterflies fluttering and birds chirping. Secluded and seduced by the world around me,I almost lost track of time. Caught up in serenity. It was a nice break before I had to get back to reality and business obligations. Hopefully my visit will grant me the opportunity to spend more time up at the Gilcrease.

An Artist Life

Even though I spent more money than I made in the duration of the Blue Dome Festival, I did manage to do some work/crafts. There was a lot of down time. In attempts to use this time as an opportunity to mark a few things off of my lists, I ended up just crafting. Not necessarily a 'waste of time' but instead of accomplishing something that is under a deadline, I just played. I tried to make the best of my scant resources. Just a needle and thread. Simple gal. By Sunday, I had customized my Toms. I suppose embroidering these was better than twiddling my thumbs? I really should have taken Chandra's lead. Chandra spent an afternoon cutting a print which was fun to watch. Then she printed it right on the spot. This drew in several onlookers. She took it one step further by adorning it with her contact info and proceeded to offer them up as free promo. A real businesswoman. Learn something new everyday! In the end, I have Tom's and she has continued, potential cash-flow. Such is the life of an artist!

Blue Dome Eats

Yes, I still have Blue Dome coverage. No, I don't own real estate here or have any motive for talking it up other than it's just a mighty, cool place. Since I had to man a booth for upwards of 10 hours per day, I had limited proximity. When the stomach's rumbling and people are stirring,my only choice was to walk over and grab a bite. Luckily, the BD district is full of good eats.

Friday evening we sat down at Joe Momma's. It was after 9pm and there wasn't an empty table in the house. There was a jazz/swing band playing and they were slingin' pizza crust and beer. I ordered the mommmarita pizza which was packed with Mediterranean joy. While their pizza is hard to beat, their calzone is to die for. It's cooked to perfection in their brick oven and brushed with garlic butter right before it hits the table. I'm drooling just thinking about it. Live music, hip staff, and perfect pizza, Joe Momma's is IT!

Lunch on Saturday-Dilly Deli. I believe this place is fairly new and it was sure drawing a crowd. Rightfully so, it can carry it's own when it comes to sandwiches. I had the grilled portabella which was positively pleasing! I'd order it again, no doubt. They also have an incredible dessert selection. They offer cookies the size of your face and some gourmet cakes/cupcakes/chocolate. I sampled the chocolate chip cookies which was baked just right (soft in the center) and the key lime torte (refreshing and light). While I had no complaints about the lunch menu, I kept hearing incredible things about their breakfast/brunch. Next time.

Sunday, brunch at the Blue Dome Diner. This place had plenty of seating and like Joe Momma's, the staff were fun to look at.Overall, the BD district is a hipster magnet (in a good way). They offered up basic diner fare at very reasonable rates. I selected the half omelet which was served with fried taters and a side of french toast (or pancakes, or biscuits and gravy). Thank goddess I order the half omelet, it filled half the plate. The full omelet spanned the plate and then some. It was basically two meals for the price of one. Not the best dine I've visited but not to shabby. The district is budding with potential. Keep your eye on this area and spend some dough there. I can't wait to watch it grow!

Blue Dome Vs. Mayfest

For those of you that don't know, Blue Dome is a grassroots, art festival composed of nonconformist. Mayfest is equivalent to OKC's 'Festival of Arts'-full of beautiful work with giant price tags. Booth rates are expensive and the environment is wholly commercial. In lieu of this contradiction (art v. the man) a group of artist decided they were fed up with red tape and decided to organize their own festival (or so I hear). From this womb, the Blue Dome Festival was born. Located a few short blocks from Mayfest, BD but they're worlds apart. The atmosphere is different, the people are cheery and the crowd was beautifully diverse. I'm sure the traffic through Mayfest was much greater than BD but I wouldn't trade spots. It's all about relationships and connections. THE Blue Dome and its lovely crowd. Some of the artists/ musicians of the BD.They played and the belly dancers in the booth across provided a free show. Our booth was marked by pirates.

And, moving on to Mayfest, shall we? So much for first impressions. No, No, No! "A little negativity never hurt no one?" More finger shakin'. At least the enforcers were good sports. They smiled for the camera.

Ok, so I may have skewed this post a little just to emphasize my point? Oh the power of propaganda! If you want to see some of the art and the Mayfest crowd, check my Flikr.

Overall, BD felt local, involved, like a community. Mayfest was elbow to elbow. People seemed to hide out in their booths and it just seemed like an outdoor strip mall. Maybe I'm biased. Either way, I'm sold on the BD. Not just the festival but the entire district. It's budding with local business and smiling faces. Once I make the jump, don't be surprised if you don't spot me down around the Blue Dome.

Blue Dome Beginnings

Last weekend was quite a blur. It’s tough looking back and trying to dissect it. Thursday evening I got a call from Jamie (one of my BFF’s) announcing that her father had passed. Not that it mattered but this threw a kink in the weekend plans. Since the funeral from Friday morning and the check in for the Blue Dome Festival was also Friday morning, I had to think quickly. I ended up hauling the stuff up to Tulsa Thursday night to make it back for the funeral on Friday. After all was said and done, I made four trips up and down the turnpike! Talk about a whirlwind! Once I got settled in, things were running smoothly. I shared a booth with Chandra, friend and fellow artist. Luckily, she took care of everything on Friday so I could be there for Jamie. I also owe her fiancé, Vince, many thanks for helping us throw it together. The weather wasn’t to bad. I heard it did rain quite a bit Friday but Saturday we only saw some sprinkles. By the last day, the sun was shining and the crowd had thickened. After three nights of libations and merrymaking, I can't say I came out ahead but I sure had a blast!

Blazing Saddles

Last weekend was crammed full. I spent it on the streets of Tulsa-pedaling my wares, following passion. Nothing beats art and good company, rain or shine. There were lots of opportunities for fun and I sacrificed several to participate in Tulsa's Blue Dome Festival. The weather wasn't ideal, but I don't regret my decision. I have gobs of photos from Blue Dome and Mayfest, but time has been limited. Speakin' of weather, check out the Triple Threat, the calm before the storm!

Stay tuned for a full recap of last weekends festivities and some new work!

The Taurus

Happy birthday Taurus! I am forever bound to the Taurus. Both of my best friends, and most of my 'lasting friends' are Taurus. Call it a coincidence, but it never fails. It's in the stars. I can see them and I believe.

In lieu of this sincere, yet stubborn bunch, I'd like to pay homage to my loyal friends. There are to many to list but today includes three of mention. May 12 is a day of birthdays and full of ones worth celebrating. On the top of the list we have Miss Jamie! One of my dearest friends and neighbor since 5th grade-we really know how to brew trouble!The one-and-only, jack of all trades, Doug Hill. In honor of his 56th year, I dined with the Hills this evening. Doug was off cooking duty and Barb bought us some grub from Norman's Taco Truck. Not bad for food with mobility. We also had margaritas and carrot cake! Fiesta!And, lastly, my boss, Carl (dressed in the white shirt). Whether I want to admit it or not, he has done a lot for me as far as shaping my career and future path. Sort of like an unbiased, no strings-father figure. This photo is hot off the press-taken earlier this afternoon. Today our office had a little get together in honor of Carl's birthday, his completion of law school and a send-off for our graduating student employees. The students demanded that we get an office photo. It's the first and only of it's kind, so feel blessed (or not).

I wouldn't trade a Taurus for anything-they're always there to aid me in my battles,(most of them against the Gemini-my polar opposite) and they deserve three cheers! Hip-Hip-Hip HOORAY and the Happiest Birthday!

ps. Casie, I didn't forget you, you're one helluva a Taurus. X0X0!

Spawn

I know I'm always boasting about how busy I am, this and that, always something. But, really, I'm swamped! I put to much on my plate. I'm not complaining but I like to post it here because it give me a nice list in which to refer. It also helps me diagnose where I stand on balancing social and work. Sometimes I feel like I don't have time to breath.

As many of you know, I've been planning a huge birthday bash for both of my parents. It's coming along and like everything else, I'm strapped for time. None-the-less I'm still enjoying piecing this puzzle together. Exhausted and on the verge of a minor break down, I started fiddling with some photos from my dad's childhood and I suddenly felt relieved. I was smiling, and giggling. It's fun looking back. I can't believe how times have changed. The years have been kind to my parents. They're lucky. I'm lucky to have them and here I go...on my sentimental saddle. Enough. Just take look: This photo is just classic-something from Good Housekeeping. Casual Clay- burns the candles from both ends. Mom 'n Dad.Prom-1979. These two have had a long and successful relationship. Sometimes make me wonder where I was thrown off that track.

That's all you get for now- Sneek preview for my VIP's! See more June 5!

Mess Making

This week has been ridiculous. I have been dangerously juggling my social life with preparations for a three day art festival in Tulsa. My studio is mess and still, nothing is really 'ready.' A little peek at a new piece. It's still in the works, slowly progressing. Yet another work in progress. These heads are part of an installation piece I plan on wrapping up before I'm off to grad school. Here, I'm toying around with construction. Also, note the watercolor in the background? It was done by my roommate and it hangs on the wall with the rest of my 'bastard' paraphernalia.' Blue Dome is fast approached and I'm runnin' out of daylight! At the bare minimum, I have a place to stay and if all else fails, I'll have three free days in T-town! Head up! I hope you guys can make it out. We'll be located around 1st and Elgin (as far as I know). It's going to be packed full of artist, fair food-a prime people watching opp. Just keep your fingers crossed for sunshine! No rain dances, please!