The Amazing Adventures of Us

We were off recording an album this past weekend with the Free Choir.  It was a lot of hard work, sometimes pretty boring, but so much fun.  I'd do it again.  I'll let everyone know when the album comes out and then you can all buy one!

unfinished moon theater
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Working on a new theater, and a few puppets, and a new crown. Art energy is back and I'm creating.

I'll update with more photos later.

the earth on the ground
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Spring break is over and we couldn't be happier to be back at school. The only thing I wish is that I had the time and the drive to sit in the studio and create.

I've started some puppet heads, but I just don't feel like working on them. They'll be great when I finally get them done, but in the mean time they just sit there.

The Free Choir is recording an album. We'll be holed up at a large house on the beach in a few weeks singing our fool heads off. I hope we sound good.

My camera stopped working the other day. It was a horrible day. But I got it back the other day and it's more than perfect and I'm thrilled to have it back.

decorating Robin's cake
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Robin turned 13 last week. He's just a few years from driving, being legal, having a job. He couldn't be happier.

Aimee made him a black cake. Again, couldn't have been happier. He had a group of friends over and they watched horror movies, walked to the cafe, sat around talking, and had a good time.

Life is good.

line of frogs
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

We marched in the parade last week and we LOVED it. We danced while we walked, visited with people, got interviewed by newspapers, had our photos taken by a lot of people, and we carried banners and bumble bees. It was great.

Now we're back to as same old same old as it gets around here.

Robin asked me last night if a friend of ours (her son's at school with us) was a witch, I said yes and he called her up right away and asked her to teach him. She picked him up this afternoon for lunch and they are talking and eating as I write this. How cool is that?

He's also got a phone number for a guy in our neighborhood who is a blacksmith. He's going to call him and talk about learning with him.

Storey and a few of her friends are being a sprites right now. They are pretending they have been trapped in glass cages by a researcher who is shipping them to New Hampshire for studying. Very funny.

Life is good.

We made frog heads today.  Tomorrow we (almost the whole school - those who aren't on the camping trip, a lot of the parents and a few grandparents) are going to be in a parade through downtown Portland.  I plan on taking as many photos of us as I can while wearing my frog head.

Chris Lutter spent the day with us helping us design and build the frog heads.  It was one of the funnest things we've done in a while (we spend this weekend painting the dining room, so of course it was more fun!).
I'll post more photos from the parade as soon as I can. 

  Jeff in the sky 
  Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Jeff and I spent all day Sunday hanging out, just the two of us.  It was great.  He drove us all over town and I took tons of photos.  We went to the this great new and salvaged hardware store called Hippo Hardware, it's a great and funky place with a really nice owner.

We went to the Pittock mansion, found a delicious (except for the salsa) taqueria, talked and talked, then stopped and bought some Ben & Jerry's (what?  it was on sale).

It helped me remember why we got married in the first place, I just love being with him.

 

 

Nothing new, same old same old.  Busy at the kid's school, we'll be learning to make frog costumes soon because we're going to be in a HUGE parade.  Been asked to put at least 10 pieces of art in a friend's shop.  Taking lots of photos, listening to lots of music, watching strange movies.  Not working in my studio and feeling a little guilty about that.

That's about it.

basket of monsters

  basket of monsters 
  Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

I've been hard at work making many many monsters.  Here's a peek at few of them.

Yesterday was Open House at the kid's school and it was a good one.  We had about 20 families show up and most of them seemed really interested!  It was good.  It was billed (for the kids at school) as an extra day of school, most of them seemed to like that. 

We followed that up with one of the kid's friend's birthday party at a local skating rink.  That was cool, loud, but a lot of fun.  And the chocolatey-est cake ever, yum.  Needless to say, all of the kids fell asleep early what with all the playing at school in the morning and rollerskating in the afternoon.

Valentine's Day is coming up.  I've never been a fan of it, I mean I like the idea of showing those you love how special they are to you.  But I'm not keen on getting cards and the artificiality of it.  I'd like a homegrown rose and a kiss on the cheek (or lips).

My sister has an interview tomorrow.  We're all keeping our fingers crossed for a good outcome.  Got anything you can cross?  Fingers, toes, eyes, anything.